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

The eternal purpose of the Lord in the salvation of sinners shall be fulfilled. “ I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory” (Isaiah 46:13). Though the Lord’s chosen people are all unrighteous by nature ( see Romans 3:10), God determined He would bring forth righteousness for them through the perfect life, sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection of Christ Who is “ THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6). Note that the everlasting rescue of sinners from sin, Satan and the curse of the law is said by Jehovah to be “ My salvation.” Salvation is His to give or withhold, according to His sovereign will. “ Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth” (Romans 9:18). Pay attention also to the Lord’s pledge of the fulfillment of His decree of salvation: it “ shall not tarry.” “Tarry” means to delay, to hinder, to fall behind. From old eternit...

“ For IT IS GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of H is good pleasure." -PHILIPPIANS 2:13 [KJV] When God has worked in a man "to will," and not only worked in him "to will," but also worked in him "to do;" when He has made him willing to flee from the wrath to come; willing to be saved by the atoning blood and justifying righteousness of Jesus; willing to be saved by sovereign grace as a sinner undone without hope, and glad to be saved in whatever way God is pleased to save him; willing to pass through the fire, to undergo affliction, and to walk in the strait and narrow path, willing to take up the cross and follow Jesus, willing to bear all the troubles which may come upon him, and all the slanders which may be heaped upon his name; when God has made him willing to be nothing, and to have nothing but as God makes him the one, and gives him the other: and besides working in him "to will," has worked in him "to do,...

“ The religious professor receives doctrines because he sees them in the Bible. The believer not only sees them in the Bible, but he feels them in his heart, put there by the Holy Spirit. The believer gets at truth through trouble. He arrives at the banquet of mercy through sharp pangs of hunger. He lays hold of the robe of righteousness chilled by nakedness. He comes to the cross because he is guilty and there is nowhere else to go. Thus the religionist and the believer (however else they may resemble one another) have an eternal distinction which the hand of God has drawn between the living and the dead.” - preacher J. C. Philpot

“ GOD WITHOUT MAN remains God, over all, blessed forever. He is the glorious God, whether man acknowledges that truth or not. But MAN WITHOUT GOD is nothing, he is vanity, he is useless except to be fuel for the flames of hell.” -preacher Jim Byrd

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." -PHILIPPIANS 2:12 [KJV] None but God's people under the teachings of the Spirit know what it is to "work out their own salvation." And all who work out their own salvation will work it out "with fear and trembling." For when a man is taught by God to know what he is; when he feels what a deceitful heart he carries in his bosom; when the various snares, temptations, and corruptions by which he is daily encompassed are opened up to him; when he knows and feels what a ruined wretch he is in self, then he begins to fear and tremble lest he should be damned at the last. He cannot go recklessly and carelessly on without "making straight paths for his feet," without "examining himself whether he be in the faith." And whenever a man's dreadfully deceitful heart is opened up to him; whenever the hollowness of an empty profession is unmasked; whenever he feels how strait is ...

“ When a man is soundly killed to all his sins, to all his righteousness, to all his comforts whatsoever; and sees that there is no way but the devil must have him, but he must be damned in hell, if he be not clothed with Jesus Christ; ‘O! then, (says he) give me Christ on any terms, whatsoever H e cost; though H e cost me friends, though H e cost me comforts, though H e cost me all that ever I have!’ Like the wise merchant in the Gospel, they will sell all to get that pearl [MATTHEW 13:46 ] . I tell you, when a soul is brought to see its want of Christ aright, it will not be kept back; father, mother, husband, wife, lands, livings, nay life and all shall go, rather than the soul will miss of Christ. Ay, and the soul counts Christ a cheap Saviour, if it can get H im upon any terms. Now the soul indents no longer (as a man bargains for the terms of his impending servitude). ‘Now, Lord, give me Christ, upon any terms, whatsoever H e cost; for I am a dead man, a damned man, a castawa...

"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself." - J EREMIAH 31:18 [KJV] The spiritual feeling of sin is indispensable to the feeling of salvation. A sense of the malady must ever precede, and prepare the soul for, a believing reception and due apprehension of the remedy. Wherever God intends to reveal H is Son with power, wherever H e intends to make the gospel "a joyful sound" indeed, H e makes the conscience feel and groan under the burden of sin. And sure am I that when a man is labouring under the burden of sin, he will be full of complaint. The Bible records hundreds of the complaints of God's people under the burden of sin. "My wounds stink and are corrupt," cries one, "because of my foolishness. I am troubled: I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long" [PSALM 38:5, 6 ] . "My soul," cries another, “is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave" [PSALM 88:3 ] . "He hath led...