Preachers of free-willism constantly exhort their hearers to “accept Jesus Christ.”  This phrase is never found in Scriptures.  Rather, Scriptures emphasize receiving, not accepting Christ.  For example, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11f).

There is an important difference between receiving and accepting.  To receive means “to take in: act as a receptacle or container for” (Webster).  To accept means “to receive with consent” (ibid.).  When we say we have received Christ, we emphasize the sovereign bestowal of Him by God.  “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3:27).  But when we say we have accepted Christ, we emphasize the power of our own will to either receive or refuse Him.  We cannot accept Christ of our own will (John 6:44,65), unless we have been made willing by God to do so (vv.37,45).

Therefore, in order to be consistent with the Scriptures, we preach that God in His sovereign predestination accepts whom He will (Ephesians 1:3-6) and then graciously makes them willing to receive Christ.

-Daniel Parks, minister to Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. (Psalms 9:1-2)

“Ye shall not go empty” (Exodus 3:21b)

It is God primarily who has been wronged in all his
rights by sin. Yet, man too has been wronged. But the Lord God has, in infinite
wisdom, fixed it, so that both he and his people shall be made the gainers by
the injury done. As the children of Israel were enriched by their bondage in
Egypt, as the fall of Israel has been overruled by our heavenly Father for the
riches of the world and the glory of God, so the fall of Satan and the entrance
of sin into the world by the fall of our father Adam has been, is being, and
shall yet be made to redound to the everlasting riches of God’s elect and the
glory of his great name.

Yes, the God of glory works all things together for
the good of his people and the everlasting glory of his own great name. Satan
will gain nothing by the havoc he has wrought in the world. He will achieve
absolutely nothing! And God’s elect will lose nothing, absolutely nothing! I
have chosen my words deliberately. This is the great glory of the cross. —
“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!” Both God and
his people have gained more by the forgiveness of sin through the blood of
Christ than was lost by the sin and fall of our father Adam and the long years
of our Egyptian bondage.

The Lord God has arranged all things, even the sin and fall of our father Adam, for the everlasting good and happiness of his people.

I repeat myself deliberately — We shall lose nothing, but only gain by what happened in the garden, gainers not by sin but by redemption! Indeed, the sin and fall of Adam was itself, by divine purpose, a picture of redemption by Christ (Romans 5:12-20). Martin Luther understood what I am trying to preach to you. He said, with regard to Adam’s sin in the Garden,

 “O
blessed fall!” Had there been no fall, no sin, no condemnation, we could
never have known the wonders of redemption. Had there been no fall, no sin, no
condemnation, we could never have known the glories of grace. Grace not only
cuts up sin by the roots and ultimately destroys it, — grace makes chosen sinners
to be eternal beneficiaries of Satan’s work!

– Don Fortner, Pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Danville, KY USA

Church membership has become the best place to hide from God.  Religious beliefs and experiences serve as refuges to shield them from the arrows of conviction and the message of real redemption in Christ. Everybody in this super church is “saved” and are insulted if the question of their interest in Christ is raised or ever suggested.  There is no possible way to confront these “know-so Salvationists” with the gospel of God’s glory!  The so-called church of today exists as a social power, a political power and as a powerful body in the community; but it has lost its true nature as the body of Christ.  They have sold their birthright for respectability, social and intellectual acceptance.

-Rolfe Barnard

The subtlety of Satan is
such that there are those in our day who so vehemently stress and emphasize
Christ’s imputed righteousness as the sinner’s only ground of justification
before God, that they fail to preach CHRIST HIMSELF who is our righteousness,
CHRIST, “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption.”  Consequently, they may be leading men and women to trust
in a system of theology, rather than in CHRIST, who is the sum and substance of
all theology. 

We worship that gloriously unique God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary.  He is our Sacrifice.  He is the very sum and substance of our theology, that divine truth we know and love.  What we call “Calvinism” or “The Doctrines of Grace” are embodied in Him.  One may be familiar with those doctrines and not know Him, but one cannot know Him and have a lasting problem with those doctrines, because . . . they emanate from Him, being of the very essence of His glorious Person and Work.  True faith (the gift of God wrought through His Word, Ephesians 2:810; Romans 10:17) cannot conceive of Him as being anything less than absolutely sovereign, nor of His work, for and in the sinner, as being anything other than absolutely free and totally effectual.  Thus, praise His Name!  He is a real and sure hope for real, helpless, “dead dog” sinners! 

Jesus Christ, in the totality of His glorious person and His efficacious work, is the sum and substance of all that we hold dearest, and of all that we are and have in our relationship with the Father. 

-Maurice Montgomery

I am not one of God’s elect because of something good God saw in me. There never was, is not now, and never will be any good in our flesh.  “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.” Paul said he knew it. The problem with most religious folks is they don’t know it, and until they do, they will continue to brag and boast of what they have done for God.

I am not one of God’s elect because of something God saw I would do. Left to my own will, I would have continued in darkness and even now would depart from God.  I am not one of God’s elect because God needed me. It bothers me when we leave the impression with anyone that God or the church of the Lord Jesus can profit any way from our presence, influence, or gifts. When will we ever learn that we are receivers and beggars? There is not one ounce of goodness in any son of Adam that could be used to commend one’s self to God. “What has thou that thou did not receive?”

By the grace of God, I am what I am. It was grace that set me apart before time was. It was His Grace that made me an object of His love. It was His grace that laid hold of me when I was in the pit and brought me to the Lord Jesus. And if it be my lot to continue in the faith, and grow in faith and love, to die in hope, and be raised in Glory, it will be all of grace. Thanks be unto Him who alone is worthy of glory and honor. 

-Donnie Bell, Pastor of Latana Grace Church, Crossville, TN U.S.A.

 “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” Song of Songs 4:7

Although a poor tried child of God may feel the force of his inbred sin and have to continually struggle with it — and though he may, from day to day, be conscious of his many imperfections — yet before those eyes which see everything, there is no flaw to be seen upon the believer in Christ. I mean no flaw in this respect — that he can never be condemned or punished for his sin. His sin is finally and fully and forever pardoned!

Oh, what a glorious truth is this!

-C. H. Spurgeon

What is the ONE thing that you desire the most? If you would be honest with yourself this morning — and be honest before God who knows your heart — what is the ONE THING that you want more than anything? Is your desire to have the perfect family? Is it to have perfect children, a perfect husband, a perfect wife, or is it to live a trouble free life? Is it to be rich with all the pleasures of this life? Is it to fulfill all your lusts and passions? Whatever your heart desires the most — THAT is your treasure. Jesus Christ warns us concerning this treasure of the heart:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

If your ONE desire — the ONE thing that you want the most — is of this world, then know that it is fleeting. All the things of this life are empty and cannot give you any lasting satisfaction.

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities;
all is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2

There is no new thing under the sun! All that the men of this generation desire now they have desired in all the past generations — and have not been satisfied with them.

There is only One that can give lasting joy, peace, and satisfaction to guilty sinners, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ alone has fulfilled the righteousness of God. Jesus Christ alone has satisfied the justice of God by His one offering for sins. Jesus Christ alone has risen from the dead and is seated on the right hand of God, ruling all things after the counsel of His own will.

Oh sinners, flee to Jesus Christ by faith! May God the Holy Spirit quicken your dead soul to life so that you may know Him and the power of His resurrection. May God reveal to your soul that Jesus is the ONE that saves, gives life and peace with God and forgives sinners.

-F.E

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. Psalms 119:71

I complain without a cause, seeing it is good for me to be afflicted. Whatever be food to the soul, surely affliction is a good medicine. There is a necessity for affliction, to preserve the health of the soul. Can a much esteemed flower think that it is unkindly dealt with, because the weeds that twisted with its roots are plucked away with force, such force that the flower seems to be pulled along? Just so am I displeased at severe afflictions, sent to root out some rampant lusts, or deep rooted earthly affections, when afflictions less severe would prove ineffectual for such a noble end. Corruption is never totally removed — it is only subdued in part. The more I am afflicted — the more it is subdued.

While here below; the ‘intoxicating juice of carnal pleasure’ breeds diseases; so that the ‘bitter medicine of affliction’ is absolutely necessary to dispel those infections which threaten damage to the soul. Since it is not my happiness to be free from sin below; it is my happiness that I am not without afflictions — which are a noble antidote against sin. I have reason to bewail, bitterly to bewail, the corruption of my nature; but not the correction of my corruption. Were I punished as I deserve; instead of being washed with the soap of affliction; I would be swept away with the broom of destruction. What condemned criminal would rage at the loss of a finger, who deserved to have lost his head? So; why should I repine at a little ill; who deserves a great deal worse?

Indeed, at all times, and in every case, I should not look to the hand of God — but into his heart; not barely look upon the providence with fear; but into the promise with faith; where, be the providence adverse or prosperous, to my comfort I am told that all things work together for good to God’s called and chosen ones. If my fluctuating bosom is composed amidst all my sorrows, by a firm belief in the promise — that happy moment I find the promise performed to me; and aver, with the royal sufferer, “It has been good for me that I have been afflicted.”

-James Meikle

Jesus, my advocate above,
My friend before the throne of love,
If now for me prevails Thy prayer,
If now I find Thee pleading there,
If Thou the secret wish convey,
And sweetly prompt my heart to pray;
Hear, and my weak petitions join,
Almighty advocate, to Thine.

Fain would I know my utmost ill,
And groan my nature’s weight to feel,
To feel the clouds that round me roll,
The night that hangs upon my soul,
The darkness of my carnal mind,
My will perverse, my passions blind,
Scattered o’er all the earth abroad,
Immeasurably far from God.

Jesus, my heart’s desire obtain!
My earnest suit present, and gain;
My fullness of corruption show,
The knowledge of myself bestow;
A deeper displacence at sin,
A sharper sense of hell within,
A stronger struggling to get free,
A keener appetite for Thee.

O sovereign love, to Thee I cry,
Give me Thyself, or else I die!
Save me from death, from hell set free,
Death, hell, are but the want of Thee.
Quickened by Thy imparted flame,
Saved, when possessed of Thee, I am;
My life, my only heaven Thou art,
O might I feel Thee in my heart!

-Charles Wesley

. . . He careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

For that child of God who is laboring under some present distress, there are no words sweeter than these — “He careth for you!” He cares for your soul. He cares so much that he gave his only begotten Son to redeem you from sin and supply you with every spiritual need. Surely, if Jesus Christ died to redeem your soul from death, you must know his great care. Not only is that so, the Lord God tenderly cares for the bodies and the concerns of the lives of his people. Do you believe that He cares? Then cast your care upon the Lord!

Are
you troubled about your sin? Cast it upon the Lord. Are you troubled about some
personal trial? Cast it upon the Lord. He was tempted in all points like as we
are. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He is able to help them
that believe. Go, therefore, with your heavy burden to the throne of your
merciful High Priest, cast your burden there and find grace and mercy to help
in your time of need.

-Don Fortner, Pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Danville, KY USA