THE SALVATION OF LOST SINNERS

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."—Philippians 2:12 [KJV]

The salvation of lost sinners, from first to last, is all of grace, not of works—Romans 11:16. It was planned in the covenant of grace; by the grace of Jesus it is FINISHED. The moment we believe on Jesus, salvation is ours; it is OUR OWN SALVATION. Mind that. Why are we called to work it out? Consider, salvation implies deliverance from dangers and enemies. Are we not surrounded with these, without as well as within? 

The legality of our spirits, the pride of our natures, the lusts of the flesh, the carnal reasonings of our minds, unbelief of the offspring of them, the rebellion of our wills, the self-righteousness of our hearts, the worldly mindedness of our desires, the carnality of our affections, the turbulency of our passions, etc., say, are not these like a legion of enemies to our salvation? Is not Satan, our grand adversary, ever working by means of these enemies to bring us into dangers and distress, if by any means he may prevent our peaceably possessing, and eternally enjoying salvation? 

Judge then, O believer, is not deliverance from danger through these enemies needful? Is there not a necessity for thy working out thy deliverance from their force and fraud? Is there not need for faith to work by love, striving against sin, resisting Satan, mortifying the flesh, perfecting holiness, fruitful in good works? The commands of thy God make the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patience of hope necessary. The gospel requires, love constrains to be much in prayer and meditation, searching the scriptures, and in all holy ordinances; and to encourage to this, ever remember, it is "God who worketh in us both to will and to do." 

"Be strong, for I am with you," saith the Lord of hosts.—Haggai 2:4. Does all thy happiness consist in the comfortable enjoyment of the full assurance of this salvation? Then "work it out with fear and trembling." FEAR to think of establishing thy works and duties as thine own righteousness, or to procure the favor of thy God. TREMBLE to entertain any hope of salvation, but by the atoning blood of Jesus, and the perfect righteousness of Jesus; any way of access to God, but through His mediation. 

Fear and tremble, above all, after thou hast done all, to think I am PERFECT. Know, thou art still "an unprofitable servant." TREMBLE to entertain the least notion that thy might, thy power, thy faithfulness, hath wrought anything as terms and conditions to procure salvation. FEAR ever to ascribe any glory to thyself. "Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."— James 1:25.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JESUS - Rock of Ages

Jesus remains the same in all ages. He is the One who is constant when everything and everyone else fails. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our R ock [I SAMUEL 2:2 ] . In the Old Testament, in Exodus 33, Jesus is pictured as the Cleft Rock. In that chapter, verse 18 and following, Moses desired to see the glory of the Lord, but was told, "You cannot see My face; for there shall no man see My face and live.” And the Lord said, “There is a place by Me, and you shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by." Notice that as Moses stood upon the rock, the Lord hid him in the cleft. This wonderfully applies to us today! Believers are both standing on and hidden in Christ [COLOSSIANS 3:3 ] . We are both in and on the Rock. As life with its many bitter events presses upon us, ...
Read more

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s...
Read more

GLORY ALONE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

" Lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me. Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. Thou vauntest thyself against the Lord . Thou art gloryi...
Read more