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

Salvation : A Matter of Justice by D G Miles McKee     If we were smart, we would line up with the Father’s thinking about the Lord Jesus. In that way we would be satisfied with Christ and thus place ourselves in the very centre of the will of God concerning salvation (John 20:31) .   ´Let me stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance´ .  The first thing the Father asks of us is to come into agreement with Him about His Son. Nothing more is required, but nothing less will do! The Father will not receive us on any other basis than that of the sufficiency of His Son.   “But,”  says someone,   "I must be a righteous person within myself before God will accept me!” Well actually... NO!   Our acceptance is not grounded on our worthiness, but on Christ‘s.  The Gospel ( the   good news ) concerns, "His Son" (Romans 1:1-3.) The Gospel is, therefore, not about us and about how internally holy we can bec...

"Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God." -I John 3:21 [KJV] A text misapplied, is like a bone out of joint, which puts the body to pain. This text may have such an effect upon the soul. For what poor sinner is there upon earth, but his heart must condemn him for coming short of God’s glory, and perfect obedience of his holy law? Must he therefore give up his confidence towards God? Yes, if we so understand the text. But surely this was not the apostle’s design: for this would effectually destroy love to God, and distress his poor children’s souls, by taking away the comfort of faith, that, there is no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:1.) What meaneth he then? Plainly to establish our hearts in the faith of God’s love to us in Christ, and from this love experienced in the heart, in love to our brethren in Christ. This is an experienced truth—if faith and love abate, our hearts condemn us, and our confidence ...

"Who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." -I Peter 1:5 [KJV] When I call to mind that in me, "that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing;" when I stand convinced, (as I do most fully, blessed be God the Holy Ghost, for having exercised His gracious office in my soul, to this gracious effect,) that though renewed in the spirit of my mind, yet in that unrenewed part of myself, which is hastening to the grave, every member is virtually all sin; when I know that never did sin break out in acts of open wickedness, in any son or daughter of Adam, but that the seeds of the same sin are in me and my nature; I long not only to know, but always to keep in remembrance by what means, and from what cause it is, that those seeds do not ripen in my heart, as well as in others; that while corrupt nature is the same in all, it is restrained in me, while so many of my fellow-creatures, and fellow-sinners, fall a prey to temptation.   Blessed ...

"To them that have no might He increaseth strength."   -Isaiah 40:29 [KJV] The Lord's people are often in this state, that they "have no might."  All their power seems exhausted, and their strength completely drained away; sin appears to have got the mastery over them; and they feel as if they had neither will nor ability to run the race set before them, or persevere in the way of the Lord. Yet, even then, they have strength; for it says, "He increaseth strength."  It does not say, 'He gives, bestows, communicates strength;' but "He increaseth strength." How can this be? We must have power to feel our weakness. God must put forth His power to enable us to fall down into nothingness and helplessness. It therefore says, "He increaseth strength."  As though it would imply, 'Is not the very power to sink down into creature weakness, helplessness, and nothingness, strength?' It is so in God's mysterious de...