"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9

God the Father contrived the plan and method of justification. It would have been a puzzling question to angels and men had not He resolved it. “How should man,”  sinful man, “be just with God?”   -see Job 9:2 But God in His infinite wisdom “found a ransom , ”  a Ransomer, a Redeemer of His people, to bring in everlasting righteousness for them (Daniel 9:24) , and thereby acquit and discharge them, and “deliver them from going down to the pit”  of ruin and destruction. -Job 33:24     “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.” God was with Him, forming the scheme of their peace and reconciliation, of their redemption, justification, and salvation – not imputing their trespasses, but the righteousness of His Son to them (Job 9:2; Job 33:24; II Corinthians 5:19-21). —theologian, preacher John Gill (1697-1791 A.D.)

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” -Romans 1:16 [KJV] Does the Gospel save us from our sins? NO, Christ saved us from our sins by His obedience unto death as our Surety, Substitute, and Redeemer. But Christ and His righteousness are revealed to us by the power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel – “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; cf. I Corinthians 1:18-24) .  Does the Gospel regenerate and convert us? NO, the Holy Spirit regenerates and converts us in the new birth, but He does so by means of the Gospel truth applied to the new heart (mind, affections, will, and conscience) (John 8:32; 16:8-11; I Peter 1:22-25; James 1:18).  If the Holy Spirit does not empower the Gospel preached to the hearts of God’s people to whom He gives life and ...

" Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." -Psalm 97:11 [KJV] He, who never doubts his sincerity to God, has great reason to suspect his knowledge of himself. An hypocrite cannot be a Christian. Yet there is hypocrisy in the fallen nature of every Christian. Such are ever suspecting themselves. At times, they fear, lest they should turn out nothing but hypocrites at last. This is a proof, that their hearts are upright with Christ; their fears and suspicions are a blessed means, of keeping them from falling away from Him.  Righteous souls pass through many dark frames and disagreeable experiences. Sometimes, they are put to a stand, ready to question if all be right within or not. For, they are the subjects of a nature, in which dwells every evil, which wars against God, the peace, holiness, and comfort of their souls. Hence they are sometimes in seasons of darkness. They see not things in the light of truth: they enjoy not the com...

"Have ye received the Holy Ghost?" -Acts 19:2 [KJV] My soul, ponder over the solemn question again and again, and then see what answer thou canst give to a point so infinitely interesting and important. The Holy Spirit is clearly known by the exercise of His blessed offices in every heart where He abides, and where He is the glorious inhabitant. He comes in Jesus' name as an ambassador, to propose to the sinner a rich and precious Saviour.  He comes as an almighty teacher; and this condescending office He graciously exerciseth in convincing of sin, and convincing of the righteousness of Jesus. He comes as an Advocate; and by His pleading the cause of a poor sinner's own necessities, and the cause of a rich Saviour's willingness and ability to supply all these necessities, He manifests Himself a most powerful advocate, when, by His constraining grace, He makes the poor sinner willing in the day of His power (see Psalm 110:3.) He comes as an enlighte...

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." -Hebrews 10:19 [KJV] Nothing will satisfy a living soul but coming "into the holiest." He wants to have communion with God, the holy, holy, holy LORD God of hosts. He is not dealing with a God distant and afar off, an idol, a God in whom he has neither faith, nor hope, nor love; who can neither see, nor hear, nor save; a God of his own conception or of some indistinct, traditional opinion; but he feels in his very conscience that he is carrying on a sacred and holy intercourse with the God of heaven and earth, the God Who has made Himself in some measure known to his soul as the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. With Him he has to do; to Him he must come; and with Him he must hold holy communion. Before His heart-searching eyes he feels he stands; into His ever-open ears he pours his petition; to His mercy and pity he appeals; His compassion he craves; His l...