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

  Nothing in Faith that Saves! by D.G. Miles McKee   There is no saving quality in faith. It is nothing in and of itself. Yet, the scriptures clearly proclaim that we are justified by faith (Romans 3:28).  How is it possible that faith is nothing in and of itself, yet it saves multitudes?   Here’s how: Faith lays hold of Christ (1 Timothy 6:12a) and grasps that saving merit is found in Christ alone (Romans 3:24). Genuine faith understands that it is not because Christ is in us that we are saved, but rather salvation is ours because we are in Christ.  We are saved by the perfect accomplishments of the Lord Jesus 2000 years ago .   The summary of our faith is this: Christ Jesus is our Saviour; He is in heaven; He is our righteousness and right standing before God; He is our treasury of grace and mercy; He is on the throne of Omnipotence and at the same time, He is our ever-living High Priest (Hebrews 4:14, Ephesians 1:11; I Corinthians 1:30; R...

"... Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." — 1 Peter 1:6 [KJV] Though a Christian be not always in a joyful frame, yet he has abundant cause to "rejoice always." Though many things may rob him of his frame, yet nothing can deprive him of the foundation of his comfort. Happy for us, this is permanent and abiding for ever: for it is founded in the love and truth of an unchangeable God. These disciples to whom the apostles wrote, "rejoiced greatly." Why? was it because they were perfectly delivered from a body of sin and death? that they were not like thee and me, O disciple, sinners? No; but the matter of their joy, the cause of their rejoicing was, their "election according to the foreknowledge of God the Father— sanctification by the Spirit—sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, being begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus;" —and the assurance ...

" If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." —I John 1:9 [KJV] Doubtless there are many confessions of sin made by the lips of men which are vain and fruitless. Yea, a man may be under a sense of legal terror and wrath in his conscience; and, like Judas, in the anguish of his spirit confess that he has sinned, and yet never obtain forgiveness from God. But every believer in Jesus is made a priest unto God, to offer spiritual sacrifices by Jesus Christ. And as the high-priest under the law laid both his hands upon the scapegoat and made confession of sins, Leviticus 16:21 —so the Christian, every anointed one, lays both his hands of faith and hope on Jesus Christ, confessing the evil of sin, the desert of sin, the sin of his nature, and the sin of his life, and pleads for forgiveness.  The sacrifice of Jesus is the alone object of his faith. And the blood of the Lamb is his only hope for par...

" My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me." — John 10:27 [KJV] All our mercies in time and eternity flow from Jesus' knowing us as His sheep. To all such salvation is certain; both as to present grace and future glory. As a shepherd knoweth every sheep committed to his care; so doth our Good Shepherd. All His sheep were everlastingly beloved of the Father, "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world," and given to Jesus in the eternal counsel. He became surety for them, He redeemed them to God by His own blood. Hence He calls them " MY SHEEP ,"—Mine by gift—Mine by redemption. Thus He hath a distinct knowledge of them, and special property in them. For "died Jesus as a fool dieth?" spilt He His precious blood at uncertainty? paid He the dreadful debt of law and justice at a peradventure, whether any soul would receive the eternal benefit or not? Surely no: for His undertaking was in infinite wisdom and...

" A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." — Ezekiel 36:26 [KJV] What absolute declarations are here! all display the sovereign will and almighty favor of a covenant God. As God's heart of love is towards His people in Christ, so His spirit of power works in them according to the counsel of His will. Hence they know, love and serve Him. By the blood of Jesus their sins are pardoned and their consciences cleansed from guilt.  By the Spirit of Jesus they are inwardly sanctified from their filthiness and idols: a new heart and a new spirit is put within them; and they are enabled to walk in His statutes, and keep His judgments. Thus "all things are of God, who hath reconciled us unto Himself by Jesus Christ , " — II Corinthians 5:17, 18. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold...

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." -Romans 8:1 [KJV] There is not a more blessed declaration than this in the whole word of truth. It is the sweetest note sounded by the gospel trumpet, for it is the very crown of the whole jubilee. Is not condemnation the bitterest drop in the cup of trembling? the most thrilling, piercing note of that terrible trumpet which sounded so long and so loud from Sinai's blazing top that all the people that were in the camp trembled? See Exodus 19:13, 16. Condemnation is the final execution of God's righteous law, and therefore carries with it all that arms death with its sting and the grave with its terror. The apprehension of this; the dread and fear of being banished for ever from the presence of God; of being lost, and that without remedy; of sinking under the blazing indignation of Him who is a consuming fire , has filled thousands of hearts with horror. And it must be so as long ...

" Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for He is faithful that promised)." — Hebrews 10:23 [KJV] Poor Christian! thy profession is envied by the malice of devils; it is the scorn and ridicule of natural men; and is contrary to thy carnal reason. Hence thou hast the combined force of a threefold alliance in arms against thee; if that by any means they may rob thee of thy hope. Happy Christian! who like thy blessed Master, in the face of every adversary, hast "witnessed a good profession," — I Timothy 6:13 . What an animating exhortation backed with a most precious assertion is this!  Thou must expect to be assaulted by the rage of devils, treated with scorn and contempt from wicked men; and often put to a stand by the carnal reasonings of thy flesh. Here is thy duty: "HOLD FAST" in spite of all opposition: hold fast the truths of God. "It is written," is sufficient to silence every carnal argument, to suppo...