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

  Christ Lifted Up! Part 2 by D. G. Miles McKee   “And I, If I be lifted up from the earth: I will draw all men unto Me” -John 12:32 [KJV] Unfortunately, there are some professing Christians who have moved away from the Gospel, denying the blood atonement and the success of Christ’s finished work.  They would try to rob us of the very truths upon which we are resting.  They would tell us that the atoning merits of the Lord Jesus Christ are neither enough nor even necessary for our acceptance with God.   But, in spite of them, God’s redeemed ones will hold fast to the great, central truths of the Gospel.   True believers continually state that the Lord Jesus died, the Just for the unjust.  They boldly declare that He paid the penalty for their sins.  They continually assert that He became their Substitute. They affirm that He, the innocent One, was treated as the guilty one. They hold fast to the truth that Christ died, not only for the...

" The L ORD hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." —Isaiah 53:6 [KJV] Here we behold the transaction of the glorious Trinity in the covenant of grace. Here is the display of grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Jehovah, the Father, lays or causes to meet all the sins of His people upon the Surety of the covenant, the Son of His love. Jesus undertakes to bear them. The Holy Ghost publishes this joyful truth unto the children of men; He works faith in their hearts, and bears witness with their spirits of salvation hereby. Thus the three glorious persons in the Godhead agree in one, even in this one truth, salvation by Jesus.  Happy is the man who believes it. Faith looks to the purposes of grace, and rests upon the accomplishment of covenant-love. When one undertakes to be surety for another, then the debt is reckoned to him, and he accepts it. Thus our dear Saviour, our blessed Surety stood up for us, engaged in our behalf. Our debts, all our iniquities w...

" A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." —Proverbs 17:17 [KJV] We have a striking instance of genuine and uninterrupted friendship, which mutually subsisted between David and Jonathan. How affecting is that pathetic, mournful, exclamation of David, when friendship's sweet bands were dissolved in death! "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." —II Samuel 1:26. Who can read this plaintive note without sympathy? Wisdom's assertion is literally exemplified in them. But though their love and friendship never abated in the dark scenes of adversity, but was alike at all times, yet death put a period to its existence.  Natural friendship extends not beyond the confines of the grave. But, O disciple, thou hast a Friend who ever lives and ever loves. The most exalted friendship when compared to His, diminishes in glory, as ...

" As He who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." —I Peter 1:15 [KJV] Legal hearts turn evangelical exhortations into legal commands. So children of faith are brought back again from the land of promise to the house of bondage. Not more absurd to exhort a dead corpse to exert itself to perform actions of life in order to get life, than to suppose a believer destitute of the life of holiness, and excite him to holy actions in order to procure it. Zeal for holiness, without knowledge of the true nature of it, is unscriptural ignorance. Every believer in Jesus is holy.  As being a member of the first Adam, he partakes of the life of sin and the spirit of unholiness; but being united to Jesus, Christ is his life. He partakes of the life of holiness and the spirit of holiness. This is evidenced by the outward holiness of his life. Therefore exhortations to excite such to a holy conversation, are as necessary as they are frequent. Art...

"For she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole." —Matthew 9:21 [KJV] The case of this poor woman was quite desperate. Many painful operations she had undergone in hopes of a cure; her money all spent in procuring remedies; her disorder grew worse and worse; all human hope and help failed; grim death seemed to approach her with great speed. But, strange thought! "If I may but touch the garment" of that MAN, surrounded by yonder crowd, I shall certainly be healed. Surprising, to think of a cure from a touch! A touch, not of His person, but His garment! How can nature and reason account for this?  Had she consulted flesh and blood, sure she would have concluded, this suggestion is mere fancy, and will end in delusion. Had she consulted eminent physicians or learned doctors in the church about her thoughts, doubtless they would have pronounced JESUS a quack, and advised proper remedies to her, as a lunatic. But the Holy Spir...

" What doth it profit, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?" —James 2:14 [KJV] Many of God's dear children are often in doubt and perplexity, lest their faith should not be the faith of God's elect; to which salvation is sure. This may arise through the weakness of their understanding in the word of truth; and because, as yet, faith doth not bring forth the fruits of joy and assurance. But sooner or later the Holy Ghost, in believing, will make this matter clear and satisfactory to their hearts. But the soundness and orthodoxy of our faith is least of all suspected by us while in a state of nature; for we all think, are very confident, have not the least doubt, we all say "we have faith," true faith; but this is a weed which grows wild in nature's field; this is the faith which James here speaks of, which all the world rest in who know not the Son of God.  All men have not faith, the faith of God's ele...

" The holiness of God is His glory, as His grace is His riches.... Holiness is the crown and beauty of all His other perfections. His power is a holy power. His wisdom is a holy wisdom. Without holiness, His patience would be an indulgence, His mercy fondness. His wrath madness, His power tyranny, and His wisdom mere subtlety.  His name, which stands for all He is, is holy (Psalm 103:1).... He did not choose to be holy, for then He might have chosen to be unholy as well. Nor was He somehow compelled to be holy. Rather, holiness is a free necessity. It is simply inconceivable that He should be anything but holy." -preacher S. Charnock