The Choice Flower of Repentance

The Choice Flower of Repentance

July 1, 2014 at 10:01am

 Too choice a flower to grow in nature's garden

"Godly sorrow works repentance." 

~ 2 Corinthians 7:10

Genuine, spiritual mourning for sin
is the work of the Spirit of God. 

Repentance is too choice a flower
to grow in nature's garden. 

Pearls grow naturally in oysters--

but penitence never shows itself in sinners, 

unless divine grace works it in them. 

If you have one particle of real hatred for sin--

then God must have given it you, 

for human nature's thorns never produced a single fig! 

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh!"

True repentance has a distinct reference to the Savior <3 b="">

When we repent of sin, 

we must have one eye upon sin, 

and another upon the Cross. 

It will be better still, 

if we fix both our eyes upon Christ <3 b="">

and see our transgressions only 

in the light of His love.

True sorrow for sin is eminently practical. 

No man may say he hates sin, 

if he lives in it. 

Repentance makes us see the evil of sin, 

not merely as a theory, 

but experimentally-

-just as a burnt child dreads the fire! 

We shall be as much afraid of sin, 

as a man who has lately been stopped and robbed 

is afraid of the thief upon the highway. 

And we shall shun sin, 

shun it in everything--

not in great things only, 

but in little things, 

as men shun little vipers 

as well as great ones...

Each night we shall close the day 

with painful confessions of shortcomings--

and each morning awaken with anxious prayers, 

that this day God would hold us up, 

that we may not sin against Him.

Sincere repentance is continual. 

Believers repent until their dying day. 

This sorrow for sin is not intermittent. 

Every other sorrow yields to time--

but this dear sorrow grows with our growth. 

It is so sweet a bitter, 

that we thank God we are permitted to enjoy it 

until we enter our eternal rest! 

~ Charles Spurgeon 

Crutches Raised!

Crutches raised!

June 26, 2014 at 9:28am

Therefore, 

strengthen the hands that are weak 

and the knees that are feeble, 

and make straight paths for your feet, 

so that the limb which is lame 

may not be put out of joint, 

but rather be healed.

~ Hebrews 12:13

Crutches raised,

I give myself to Thee.

Give us Thy hand, dear Jesus.
Grant us wisdom for courageous self-recovery, in Your strength.
We know that proper exercise of our lame joints is like physical therapy.
But, we don't want to cause our feeble knees to go out of joint again.
Give us the boundaries of our habitation.
We want to do what tends to the healing of our broken bones.
Light the path of our every footfall.
Keep us in the straight and right way, Good Shepherd.
We give You praise.
We are glad to know that You can use us just the way we are,
weak,
needy,
feeble,
broken,
weary,
frightened,
anxious,
full of sorrows
and tempted to despair,
in ourselves,
and because of the way of the wicked in this fallen world.
We lift our crutches to You and sing Your praises.
Holy, holy, holy!
Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb!
Amen.

God is making wings for men's riches. 

He is shaking their homes. 

He is taking away all the visible defences of their lives. 

He is proclaiming the uncertainty and instability of man's life. 

So the only thing that will give us rest and peace 

is to entrust everything to His sovereign will and pleasure. 

This is the way to mortify self 

and love for the world 

and the things that are in the world. 

Without this mortification, 

we can never trust ourselves 

and [entrust] all that we love and have 

to God's sovereign will. 

~ John Owen

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The Lamb's Wife

The Lamb's Wife

July 8, 2011 at 4:54pm

The Bride says 'Come!'

~ Revelation 22:17

Every believer should realize that he stands in the relation, and is under theobligation, of the Bride of Jesus. His are the privileges, his the honors, and his theduties — of the Lamb's wife.

'The Position and Practice of the Bride'

by James Smith

The Church of God, quickened and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, is the Bride of Christ. It is of His Church, and every individual member of that Church, He speaks, when He says, "I will betroth you unto Me forever; yes, I will betroth you unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. Yes, I will betroth you unto Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord."

In the name of the Bride, and as one of her servants, I cry unto you most heartily: Come to Jesus, and find pardon, peace, and everlasting life. Come you to the Cross, COME! Come without delay. Then come to the Church, and come with fear. Then join with us in looking up to Heaven, and unite with us in the cry, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!"

then you must come to Jesus!

Lost sinner, there is for you — no rest, no satisfaction, no solid happiness — until you sincerely come to Jesus.

and more vitality in our meetings,

more holiness in our lives,

more love in our hearts,

Do you stand at the door of Christ's Church — and endeavor to induce seekers to come in? There are many in these days outside the Church, who ought to be within it; and they would be, if there was . . .

Do you stand by the cross of Jesus, and invite poor sinners to it? Do you speak to them from your own experience of the power of that Cross, telling them, that "it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one who believes?" Do you bear witness of the rest, peace, and joy to be obtained there? Pity, O pity poor sinners, and try to bring them to Calvary! Speak, O speak for Jesus, and endeavor to lead sinners to His precious Blood, that he may "see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied!" Try, try, to induce some to share with you in the blessings, and benefits of His death!

My Christian brother, is this your position? Is this your practice?

She stands on this poor world, and surrounded by all the marks of the curse, treading upon thorns and briars, listening to the sighs of the saints, and the groans of creation at large — and she looks up to where her Lord is and cries,  

Clothed in the bridal robe, wrought for her by her beloved Lord, washed clean in in His atoning Blood, made happy in His precious love, with beaming countenance, with sparkling eye, and with sweetest voice — she cries to every young believer, "Come in, and find a home. Come in, and enjoy a feast! Come in, and be merry with your friends. Come in, and go no more out."

The bride is careful not to stand before the Cross — lest she should conceal it. Nor does she hold up a crucifix — lest the soul should rest short of it; but standing by its side, with uplifted hand she points to it, and cries, "Come, Come, COME!"

balm for the bleeding conscience

healing for the broken heart, or

repose for the soul,

She stands beside the Cross, and seeing lost sinners in the distance, wandering, wretched and undone — and she lovingly calls them to come. She has found peace at that Cross; she has found rest and pleasure there. She knows that there is no . . .

We will now look at the BRIDE as represented by John. She is associated with the holy and ever blessed Spirit; the Spirit invites sinners to Jesus, the Bride echoes His call, and the hearer is directed to echo hers, "The Bride says, Come!"

Every believer should realize that he stands in the relation, and is under the obligation, of the Bride of Jesus. His are the privileges, his the honors, and his the duties — of the Lamb's wife. Espoused to Him through the Gospel, we have pledged ourselves to be His; secretly at the mercy-seat, and publicly in our baptism. We have said, "I will be for you, and not for another." We made a full, entire, and eternal surrender of ourselves, and all we have — to Him. So that we are not our own; it is not lawful for us primarily to seek our own pleasure; our object should be, in all we do to please Jesus. As the virtuous woman is a crown to her husband — so should we aim, and strive, and seek, to be a crown to Jesus

By nature, we are far from Him, strangers to Him, and at enmity with Him. The very last thing we would think of, desire, or seek — would be union to Christ. But He sends Hisservants, as Abraham did Eliezer, to take a wife for His son Jesus. They come and proclaim His love, commend His person, exhibit His portrait, and invite us to Him. The Spirit of God attends them in their work, crowns their efforts — and union with Christ is the result. We feel our need of Him, our affections are raised and go out after Him; we heartily and earnestly seek Him, we are introduced to Him, we give utterance to our desires before Him, and at length He gives us his hand, and pronounces us His forever.

http://gracegems.org/Smith4/position_and_practice_bride.htm

The Fountain of Blood

The Fountain of Blood

June 20, 2014 at 7:48am

There is a fountain
filled with blood
drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged
beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief
rejoiced to see
that fountain in his day;
And there have I,
though vile as he,
washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb,
Thy precious blood
shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more.

E'er since by faith
I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love
has been my theme
And shall be till I die

When this poor lisping,
stammering tongue
lies silent in the grave.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save,

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared,
unworthy though I be,
For me a Blood-bought free reward,
a golden harp for me!

’Tis strung and tuned for endless years,
and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears
no other Name but Thine.
`
~ There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood
    by William Cowper

But now the righteousness of God ...
through faith in Jesus Christ, 
to all 
and on all 
who believe..
for ...
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 
whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, 
through faith, 
to demonstrate His righteousness... 
that He might be Just 
and the Justifier 
of the one 
who has faith 
in Jesus.
...
Therefore, 
having been justified by faith, 
we have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access 
by faith 
into this grace in which we stand, 
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 
And not only that, 
but we also glory in tribulations, 
knowing that tribulation 
produces perseverance; 
and perseverance, 
character; 
and character, 
hope. 
Now hope 
does not disappoint, 
because the love of God 
has been poured out in our hearts 
by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

For when we were still without strength, 
in due time
Christ died for the ungodly. 
For scarcely for a righteous man
will one die; 
yet perhaps for a good man 
someone would even dare to die. 
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, 
in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. 
Much more then,
having now been justified
by His blood, 
we shall be saved from wrath
through Him. 
For if when we were enemies 
we were reconciled to God 
through the death of His Son, 
much more,
having been reconciled, 
we shall be saved
by His life. 
And not only that, 
but we also rejoice in God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
through whom we have now 
received the reconciliation...
those who receive abundance of grace 
and of the gift of righteousness 
will reign in life 
through the One, 
Jesus Christ.

~ Romans 3:21,22,23,24b,25,26;5:1-10,17


The blood of Jesus Christ, 
His Son, 
cleanses us 
from all sin.
~ I John 1:7

They have washed their robes 
and made them white 
in the Blood of the Lamb.
~ Revelation 7:14

But Christ came as High Priest ...
with His own blood 
He entered the Most Holy Place 
once 
for all, 
having obtained eternal redemption...
how much more shall the Blood of Christ, 
who through the eternal Spirit 
offered Himself without spot to God, 
cleanse your conscience from dead works 
to serve the living God?...
And for this reason 
He is the Mediator of the new covenant, 
by means of death...
that those who are called 
may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance...
without shedding of blood 
there is no remission...

For Christ...
has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, 
but after this the judgment, 
so Christ was offered once 
to bear the sins of many. 
To those who eagerly wait for Him 
He will appear a second time, 
apart from sin, 
for salvation...

Therefore, brethren, 
having boldness to enter the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, 
by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, 
through the veil, 
that is, His flesh, 
and having a High Priest over the house of God, 
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience 
and our bodies washed with pure water...

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, 
the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, 
to God the Judge of all, 
to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, 
and to the blood of sprinkling 
that speaks better things than that of Abel...

Now may the God of peace 
who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, 
that great Shepherd of the sheep, 
through the Blood of the everlasting covenant, 
make you complete in every good work to do His will, 
working in you 
what is well pleasing in His sight, 
through Jesus Christ, 
to Whom be glory forever and ever. 
Amen.

Hebrews 9:11,12,14,15,22,24,26,27-28;10:19-22;12:22-24;13:20-21



His blood be on us 
and on our children.
~ Matthew 27:25



Are YOU washed in the Blood of the Lamb?

Love Your Neighbor

Love Your Neighbor

June 14, 2014 at 8:46am

Only love can grieve. 
If you don't love, 
you won't grieve.
~ AW Tozer

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 
with all your soul, 
with all your strength, 
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself."
~ The Lord Jesus

(Luke 10:27;cf Matt 19:19,22:39;Mark 12:3)

"You shall not take vengeance, 
nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, 
but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: 
I am the Lord."
~ God

(Leviticus 19:18)

Owe no one anything except to love one another,
for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law.
For the commandments,
“You shall not commit adultery,”
“You shall not murder,” 
“You shall not steal,” 
“You shall not bear false witness,”
“You shall not covet,”
and if there is any other commandment,
are all summed up in this saying, namely,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no harm to a neighbor;
therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.
~ Apostle Paul

(Romans 13:8-10)

The SIXTH Commandment

"You shall not murder." 
~ Exodus 20:13

In this commandment 
is a sin forbidden, 
which is murder...
and a duty implied, 
which is, to preserve our own life, 
and the life of others.
~ Thomas Watson

Q. 67. Which is the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not murder.

Q. 68. What is required in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, andthe life of others.

Q. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor, unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

~ Westminster Shorter Catechism

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; 
in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
(ensure justice for those being crushed)
~ Proverbs 31:8

If you are slack in the day of distress, 
your strength is small.
Deliver those who are being taken away to death, 
and those who are staggering to slaughter, 
Oh hold them back...
~ Proverbs 24:10-11

Post-Abortion Gospel: THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE BIBLICAL REPENTANCE and FAITH AFTER MURDERING A CHILD (or children) BY ABORTION

Post-Abortion Gospel: THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE BIBLICAL REPENTANCE and FAITH AFTER MURDERING A CHILD (or children) BY ABORTION

June 13, 2014 at 10:58am

"How can I be forgiven for murdering my baby by abortion?"

This gospel tract was written for you, the woman (or man) who has committed the bloody sin of murdering your child (or children) by abortion. We will focus on the sin of murder. You may, or may not, be sexually immoral. Some who have murdered their child(ren) by abortion are married to the father of their baby. In the United States over 80% of the mothers who murdered their infants by abortion were unmarried (or married to someone other than the father of their child). So, we will include sexual immorality (fornication) as one of the serious sins which you must repent of.


It is our desire that you come to biblical repentance for the sin of murdering your baby. 
That you might honor God and be truly forgiven by the only One who has the power and authority to forgive your sin: 
Jesus Christ. 




Will you escape the wrath of God on Judgment Day? 

Your eternal destiny is the most important thing in the world.
Jesus said,
“For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? 
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
~ Mark 8:36-37

Jesus warned, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish”
~ Luke 13:3, 5

Christ clearly taught that the only way to escape the wrath of God now,
and the pains of hell at the Judgment,
is by genuine repentance of sin.

What then does the Bible tell us is true repentance?

It is important that you understand the difference between false repentance and true repentance.
Thomas Watson explains what genuine true gospel repentance is;

Repentance is a grace of God's Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed.
Know that repentance is a spiritual medicine made up of six special ingredients:

1. Sight of sin
2. Sorrow for sin
3. Confession of sin
4. Shame for sin
5. Hatred for sin
6. Turning from sin

If any one is left out it loses its virtue.
----

Let us go through the six steps of genuine biblical repentance of sin. 


1. Sight of sin.

This means to SEE YOUR SIN FOR WHAT IT IS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.


First we must properly define the word: sin.
We do this by looking to the Bible, which is the holy, inerrant Word of God,
he source of eternal truth, and is forever settled in heaven.

"Your Word is true from the beginning: 
and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."~ Psalm 119:166

According to the Bible SIN is transgression of (disobedience to) the Law of God, His Holy Commandments.
That is why the Bible calls sin lawlessness (I John 3:4;5:17)

God has carved His Law/Holy Commandments on our hearts with His own finger.
When we sin, we know that we are doing what is evil and wrong in God's sight.
God gave us a conscience to know right from wrong.
So, when we sin, we do it with the guilty knowledge that it is sin.
That is why we are without excuse before God when we sin. (Romans 1:20)

Consider your own life and your many sins.

Be honest.

Let's go over some of the commandments of the Lord.
Isn't it true that you have personally broken the commandments of God intentionally, repeatedly and without remorse? Have you lied? Have you stolen? Have you used God's name in vain? Have you dishonored your parents? Have you been sexually immoral (had sex with someone you are not covenanted in marriage to, which the Bible calls the sin of 'fornication')?

Now, to address the sin of abortion.

Psalm 127:3 says; "Children are a gift from the Lord".  God is the One who opens (and closes) the womb. We are informed by Scripture that all human persons are made in the image and likeness of God. Every infant conceived in the womb is a person whom God has personally designed, created and sustained and given to their parents (and to the world) as His precious gift.

The Sixth Commandment says: "You shall not murder".
Have you murdered a baby by abortion, or helped someone else to kill an innocent child?

If you have murdered your baby by abortion, and if you are not married to the man you have been having sex with,
you have willfully violated God's clear commands.
In Revelation 21:8 God provides the punishment He has ordained for your sins;
 "...as for murderers, the sexually immoral...their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone (hell)"


Fear the fury and wrath of God.

Do you understand that God is furious with you for your sin?
The Bible says;
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." 
~ Proverbs 1:7;9:10;Psalm 111:10

“God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm. 7:11).
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18).
If you die in your sin you will face the undiluted fury and fierceness of Almighty God.


It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!

Your sin has separated you from God. (Isaiah 59:2)
Is there hope for you?
Remember that Jesus declared: "Unless you repent, you will perish!"
Let us go on to see what the repentance Christ is speaking of looks like.

2. Sorrow for sin.

"I will be sorry for my sin" 
~ Psalm 38:18


Did you know that the Bible describes two types of sorrow (grief, regret, remorse) for sin?

"For godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret,whereas worldy sorrow produces death."

(II Corinthians 7:10)

One type of sorrow (regret, remorse) is worldly and results in a false repentance.
The other is a godly sorrow and results in a genuine repentance.

Let me ask you a question:
Are you experiencing any kind of guilt, sorrow, regret, remorse for the sin of murdering your baby?
Is your regret based on what YOU have had to suffer or endure as a result of killing your child? 
Or, are you sorry for sinning against your innocent baby and against the God who gave him or her to you?
Godly sorrow is a true sense of guilt for having sinned against God and for having done harm to another.
This sorrow for sin is not superficial: it is a holy agony.
Godly sorrow is the kind which God can use to bring you to real forgiveness and salvation.

3. Confession of Sin

Proverbs 28:13 says:

"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, 
but he who confesses and forsakes them 
will obtain mercy."
Did you know that the Bible teaches that, "there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of Blood"? (Hebrews 9:22)
God requires Blood to cover (atone) for sins. The Father sent forth His only begotten Son, born of a virgin. Jesus is the Son of God! He lived a perfectly sinless life, obeying all of God's commandments in thought, word and in deed, fulfilling all righteousness. And, then Christ laid down His life. He was crucified by wicked men. Jesus died and rose again on the third day. His precious Blood was spilled to ransom sinners like us! Only those who have the Blood of the spotless Lamb of God will be forgiven of their sins.

4. Shame for Sin

The fourth ingredient in repentance is shame: "that they may be ashamed of their iniquities" (Ezekiel 43:10)

Are you struck by the great exceeding sinfulness and the guilty shame of your sins? If you are guilty of fornication, will you humbly confess your sexual sin to God? If you have committed abortion against your child, do you admit that you are without excuse for what you have done to your innocent baby? Are you willing to humbly confess your guilty sins before God and come to Him to beg for forgiveness through the Blood of His Son?  

Cry out; “God, be merciful to me, a sinner! Lord Jesus, I repent! I believe You died for me and rose again. I believe You are God the Son, the Savior. I now turn from my sin to trust You alone for salvation. Save me please, by Your grace. I long to love You, serve You, and live for You as You deserve. I want to know You as my Savior. I commit to obey You, and I cry out to You to forgive me and save me.”

5. Hatred for Sin

Proverbs 8:13 says: "The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil."

"Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, 
and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices!"
~ Ezekiel 36:31

Do you hate your sexual sin? Do you abhor that you murdered your helpless little baby?
Hatred for your sins is one of the necessary ingredients of true saving repentance.

Surely, what you hate you are willing to confess and forsake.

6. Turning from Sin

"I preached... that all must repent of their sins and turn to God -

performing deeds in keeping with their repentance."

~ Acts 26:20

This turning from sin is called a forsaking of sin and a turning TO God. It should be no trouble for you to turn from and forsake the sins which you have come, by God's grace, to hate. This turning from sin is called "a putting of sin far away" (Job 11:14).
Not just once.
Not just today, but,
for always.

"Repent...
and turn away your faces from all your abominations"
~ Ezekiel. 14:6

Dying to sin—is the life of repentance. 

"Let the wicked forsake his way, 
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; 
let him return to the LORD, 
that he may have compassion on him, 
and to our God, 
for He will abundantly pardon."Isaiah 55:7

Has your conscience been pricked and awakened to your need for forgiveness of your sins?
Do you admit and confess that you are an enemy of God through your wicked works?

God swears:
'As surely as I live', 
says the Sovereign Lord,
'I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. 
I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. 
Turn! 
Turn from your wickedness! Why should you die?' 
~ Ezekiel 33:11

'Turn unto Me, says the Lord—'and I will turn unto you' (Zech. 1:3).

Pray with repentant King David;
"O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me" (Psalm 86:16).

Jesus said: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5).

The Lord Christ also said:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God...You must be born-again!"
~ John 3:3,7

Repent! Believe upon the Savior! Ask Him to forgive your sins and grant you new life by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Turn to Christ and live!

Thy people SHALL BE WILLING in the Day of Thy power

Thy people SHALL BE WILLING in the Day of Thy power

June 11, 2014 at 12:12pm

The salvation of any sinner is a matter of Divine power.
By nature the sinner is at enmity with God,
and naught but Divine power operating within him,
can overcome this enmity;
hence it is written,
"No man can come unto ME, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him" ~ John 6:44

It is the Divine power overcoming the sinner's innate enmity
which makes him willing to come to Christ
that he might have life.

But this "enmity" is not overcome in all - why?

IS it because the enmity is too strong to overcome?
Are there some hearts so steeled against Him that Christ is unable to gain entrance?
To answer in the affirmative is to deny His omnipotence.

In the final analysis it is not a question of the sinner's willingness
or unwillingness,
for by nature
all are unwilling.
Willingness to come to Christ
is the finished product of Divine power
operating in the human heart and will
in overcoming man's inherent and chronic "enmity,"
as it is written,
"Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" ~ Psalm 110:3

To say that Christ is unable to win to Himself
those who are unwilling
is to deny that all power in heaven and earth is His.
To say that Christ cannot put forth His power
without destroying man's responsibility
is a begging of the question here raised,
for He has put forth His power
and made willing
those who have come to Him,
and if He did this without destroying their responsibility,
why "cannot" He do so with others?
If He is able to win the heart of one sinner to Himself,
why not that of another?
To say,
as is usually said,
the others will not let Him
is to impeach His sufficiency.
It is a question of His will.
If the Lord Jesus has decreed,
desired,
purposed the salvation of all mankind,
then the entire human race will be saved,
or, otherwise,
He lacks the power to make good His intentions;
and in such a case
it could never be said,
"He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied."

The issue raised involves the deity of the Saviour,
for a defeated Savior
cannot be God.

~ A. W. Pink
excerpted from 'The Sovereignty of God'

Salvation is of the Lord.
~ Jonah 2:9