If 99% of salvation is by grace, then salvation is 100% by works.  If any aspect of salvation is dependent upon man doing his part in order for God’s part to be fulfilled, then salvation is of man, and not of the Lord. Works and grace cannot be mixed.  They are mutually exclusive.  The belief that God loves all, Christ died for all, the Holy Spirit calls all, but salvation is dependent upon man’s acceptance or rejection of God’s offer of salvation is just as much salvation by works as believing you are saved by your law-keeping or baptism.  It still leaves salvation ultimately dependent upon man, and leaves him a ground for boasting.  

 But the fact of the matter is salvation is 100% by grace.  Everybody who is saved by grace knows that.  It is only those who do not know the grace of God that will leave any wiggle room for human works.

  -Todd Nibert, Pastor of Todd’s Road Grace Church, Lexington, KY USA

For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? (Esther 8:6)

Of all the sweet reflections which arise out of this chapter, I desire chiefly to have my soul directed to the contemplation of Jesus, in his love to this people which the anxiety of Esther, for her countrymen the Jews, so strongly prompts the mind to consider. If she felt such concern as to cry out, How can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people; or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? Think, Reader, whether it be possible to conceive Jesus will look on, and suffer any of his to perish?

Recollect the interest he hath in them, the relationship in which he stands towards them; the purchase he hath made of them; the vast price they cost him; the love he hath to his Father who gave them to him; and the pains he hath gone through, to make their salvation sure. And can you suppose it possible, that he will suffer one of those little ones, which trust in him, to perish?

Consider what he is in himself: His glory, greatness, almightiness, and sovereignty, as God and man in one person. He is the husband of his church, the brother, the friend. God’s love is stronger than death and more vehement in its warmth than coals of fire. And consider what Jesus hath done to satisfy their souls, in the assurance of his unalterable love. He assumed the very nature of man. And having stood up as our surety, borne our sins, carried our sorrows, and though knowing no sin in himself, yet being made sin, and even a curse for us, and having satisfied the divine justice, answered the whole law, taken the punishment, finished transgression, made an end of sin, brought in an everlasting righteousness, washed poor sinners in his blood, clothed them in his righteousness, he now ever liveth to see the whole purposes of his salvation, fully accomplished: can He endure to see any evil upon his people; or those for whom he died brought into everlasting ruin? Reader! think of this and cast thy soul upon him who careth for thee? Oh! precious Jesus! I would say, cause me to rest with full assurance of faith, and to triumph in thee and thy great salvation! (John 6:37-40)

-Robert Hawker

he knowledge of that gracious character, as interpreted by the cross of Christ, is the true remedy for our disquietness. Insufficient acquaintanceship with God lies at the root of our fears and gloom. 

I know that flesh and blood cannot reveal God to you, and that the Holy Spirit alone can enable you to know either the Father or the Son. But I would not have you for a moment suppose that this Spirit is reluctant to do his work in you; nor would I encourage you in the awful thought, that you are willing while he is unwilling; or that the sovereignty of God is a hindrance to the sinner, and a restraint of the Spirit. 

The whole Bible takes for granted that all this is absolutely impossible. Never can the great truths of divine sovereignty and the Spirit’s work land us, as some seem to think they may do, in such a conflict between a willing sinner and an unwilling God. 

The whole Bible is so written by the Spirit, and the gospel was so preached by the apostles, as never to raise the question of God’s willingness, nor to lead to the remotest suspicion of his readiness to furnish the sinner with all needful aid. Hence the great truths of God’s eternal election, and Christ’s redemption of his Church, as we read them in the Bible, are helps and encouragements to the soul. But interpreted as they are by many, they seem barrier-walls, not ladders for scaling the great barrier-wall of man’s unwillingness; and anxious souls become land-locked in metaphysical questions, out of which there can be no way of extrication save that of taking God at his word. 

-Horatious Bonar

Christ’s blood is precious because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it, all the sins of all Christ’s people are atoned for!

Christ’s blood is also precious in its cleansing power. “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!” “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

Through Jesus’ blood, there is not a spot left upon any believer — no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. Oh, precious cleansing blood — which removes the stains of abundant iniquity, and allows us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God.

-C.H Spurgon

(Psalm 62)

Amid all the trials, conflicts, and attacks from the enemies of his soul, David always returned to his original hope, as the dove returned to the ark. “MY SOUL, WAIT THOU ONLY UPON GOD.” The battle is the Lord’s; and He only can justify, comfort, and keep me. “MY EXPECTATION IS FROM HIM” (vs. 5). In Him dwells all fullness, all blessings, and all wis­dom. He will exalt me in due time, for “HE ONLY IS MY ROCK AND MY SALVATION” (vs. 6). If God be for me, who or what can be against me? And really, what does it matter who is against me, for I am complete in Him and accepted of the Father in Him. “HE ONLY IS MY DEFENCE” (vs. 6) against false charges or true charges. So I will “TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES” (vs. 8); in times of prosperity or poverty, for I know (or should know) how to abound or to be abased. In times of fellowship or loneliness, He will never leave me. In times of health, sickness, or death, He is my refuge. I will “POUR OUT MY HEART BEFORE HIM” (vs. 8). His heart is set on us; let us set our hearts upon Him. Let our inmost desires, doubts, thoughts, sorrows, and joys be poured out like water before the Lord. Hide nothing from Him, for nothing can be hid from Him. We shall learn to pray when we learn to be OPEN AND HONEST BEFORE THE LORD!

-Henry Mahan

If we are true Christians, we must not expect everything smooth in our journey to Heaven. We must count it no strange thing, if we have to endure sicknesses, losses, bereavements, and disappointments, just like other people. Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace by the way, and glory to the end — all this our Savior has promised to give. But He has never promised that we shall have no afflictions. He loves us too well to promise that!

-J.C Ryle

“And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts . . .” 2 Peter 1:18-19

The apostle Peter was recounting being an “eyewitness to the majesty of the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ,” on the mount of transfiguration and, of hearing God almighty say, “this is my beloved Son in whom, I am well pleased”.

After seeing Christ transfigured before his eyes and hearing the voice of God Himself, he said; “we have a more sure Word of Prophecy.” He is saying God’s word is the sure foundation of his faith, his hope, his message, not his visions, or voices he heard.

Why am I saying these things?  Because the Word of God is being laid aside by so called preachers, by pop psychologists, and by the media. In fact, I heard someone say the other day “it’s a good thing we don’t have the bible around here to keep us from doing what is right.”

Beloved, I am thankful that we don’t have to watch Oprah, Dr. Phil, or the myriads of talk shows to find out what we are to believe, how we are to live our lives, or how we are to deal with the relationships we have in this world.

Thank God we have His word — A More Sure Word. Aren’t you thankful that you have God’s Word about how we are saved, by God’s free and sovereign Grace in Christ, about how we are to grow as believers, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” 1 Pet. 2: 4? What kind of father, husband, brother, friend, employee, or employer am I to be? What kind wife, mother, sister, friend are you dear ladies to be? Where shall we go for the answers; to television, to the library, or to the bookstore to buy the latest book on “How to…”?

We don’t have to go see a movie to know “how and why Christ died”, or to have our faith stirred up. Thank God we know, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Rom. 10:17. It is no matter what the world does, by God’s grace we are going to; “Hold forth the word of life” Phil. 2:15-16.       

– Donnie Bell, Pastor of Lantana Grace Church of Crossville, TN, USA

Martin Luther, who used to preach this doctrine very vehemently and forcibly, yet declared that he felt as if he could knock the Bible about the peoples heads if he could by any means get this doctrine into them; for so soon after they had learnt it did they forget it. Over and over, and over again must the Christian minister continue to insist upon this truth, that God was, in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. And for ever and ever, as long as the world standeth, must he continue to repeat the truth, that we are justified through the righteousness of our Redeemer, and not by any righteousness of our own.

-Milton Howard

It is true, “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10: 34). What could a sinful man do to win the respect of the holy God? God has no respect for anything man is, does, or gains, by which he sets himself apart from other men. But God does have his favorites, whom he has, from eternity singled out from the rest of Adam’s race, to whom he will be gracious.

He distinguishes them from all others by–eternal election (II Thess. 2:13), sovereign predestination (Rom. 8:29), effectual redemption (Tit. 2:10), and regenerating grace (Eph. 2:1-5).

Nothing so riles man’s hatred of God as the declaration that his grace is eternal, free, sovereign, and distinguishing. This message of grace is abasing to human pride, gives no merit to human righteousness, and makes man utterly dependent upon the goodness of God for salvation.
Proud men hate it.
Saved men love it.

-Don Fortner, Pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Daville, KY U.S.A.

“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Psalm 90:1-2

The Christian knows no change with regard to God. He himself may be rich today—and poor tomorrow, he may be sickly today—and well tomorrow, he may be in happiness today—tomorrow he may be distressed;  but there is never any change with regard to his relationship to God. If He loved me yesterday—then He loves me today. My unmoving mansion of rest, is my blessed Lord. Let prospects be ruined, let hopes be blasted, let joy be withered, let mildews destroy everything—I have lost nothing of what I have in God. He is “my strong habitation where unto I can continually resort.” I am a pilgrim in the world, but at home in my God. In the earth I wander, but in God I dwell in a quiet habitation.

-C. H Spurgeon