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

Some have said that to be “justified” is to be “just as if I’d never sinned.” But the truth is justification deals completely with the fact that I HAVE sinned. God being just, His justification has to have a just basis. When Paul wrote in Romans 8, “It is God that justifies,” he immediately followed with “it is Christ that died.” The death of a sinless Substitute for sin is necessary for God to justify a sinner. Justification is clearly an act of God. He declared all His people as having been “justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” All in Him are now without sin, but justification does not excuse sin or in any way diminish its vileness and offensiveness to God. No, justification declares the sinner righteous and also declares the Justifier as righteous. —preacher Gary Shepard

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." -II Corinthians 3:18 [KJV] When our desires and affections ascend to where the Lord Jesus Christ now is, when raised out of all the smoke and fog, din and strife, noise and bustle, cares and anxieties, pursuits and pleasures, sins and sorrows of this earthly scene, we can in faith and hope, in love and affection, live above and beyond all things here below, and beholding with unveiled face the glory of the Lord, "are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" —this is being made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. When the Lord Jesus went up on high He entered into His glory. As then we behold Him in His glory in faith and love, there is the reflection of His glory, and saints thus favoured enter into heaven when still upon earth, and...

"For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth." -Hebrews 9:17 [KJV] Precious Lord Jesus! and was it needful that Thou shouldest die, that the rich legacies of Thy will might be paid Thy children, and Thy spouse, the church? Was the testament in Thy blood of no force until Thou hadst finished redemption by expiring on the cross And hast Thou now confirmed the whole, by this gracious act of Thine, when dying "the just for the unjust, to bring us to God ? " Sit down, my soul, this evening, and ponder over the unequalled love of thy dear Redeemer. Jesus died, and thereby gave validity and efficacy to His will. Now therefore it is of force.  Now the large estate of "an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and which fadeth not away , " which Jesus hath purchased by His blood, is eternally and everlastingly secured. Yea, the will hath since His death, been proved in the court ...

"For Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried." -Psalm 66:10 [KJV] The Lord's dealings with His people in the wilderness are very much to this purpose and to this end—to prove them, and to know what is in their hearts. Has the Lord implanted life in your soul? Has He touched your conscience with His finger? Has He begun a work of grace upon your heart? If so, in your travels through this wilderness there will be things from time to time to prove the reality of this work upon your soul.  You will have temptations; now, when temptation comes, it will prove whether you have the fear of God in your soul to stand against the temptation, or whether you fall under the temptation; or, if you fall under the temptation, whether you are ever recovered out of it. And if you are a living soul, the Lord will keep bringing circumstance upon circumstance, event upon event, one thing after another; and all these things, as they come upon you, shal...

" He wist not that the L ORD was departed from him." -Judges 16:20 [KJV] What do I read? Sampson’s name enrolled in the list of the ancient heroes of faith? Hebrews 11:32. What! he who loved a harlot, and was so blinded by his lust, as to bring on himself the most dreadful evils, even unto death? Yes. Grace reigned then. It reigns still, through the righteousness of Christ unto sinners. What! That they should continue in sin, because grace abounds? God forbid! See the most awful evils it brought upon this man of God. Behold in him how sin blinds the eyes, hardens the heart, and stupefies the conscience. Think of this, and tremble at the first approach of sin and lust.  (1st.) Sampson’s lust to a vile, unchaste woman, had so blinded his reason, that he put his life into her hands three times. Yet he could not see that she had no regard for him, but only wanted to destroy him. Here was a judgment upon his sinful passions. The Philistines put out his eyes.  (2d.) ...

Did Jesus Die Well?   Part 1 by D.G. Miles McKee The more majestic Jesus appears to us, the more confidence we will have in Him in both life and death. Never was Christ more majestic than when He conquered death at Calvary. It was there, at the cross, He did away with sin, destroyed demonic authorities and brought about the ‘death of death’ itself.  As William Romaine observed, “Death stung himself to death when he stung Christ.” To grasp the awesome nature of the cross we must remember that Jesus and death were unrelated.  Jesus had life in Himself; He was not merely the giver of life but was life itself! (John 14:6). Death was for sinners, but Christ was sinless There was, consequently, no reason for Him to die! He had neither broken the Law nor disobeyed the Father thus death had no claim over Him. No power on earth could kill Him. He was not exaggerating when, speaking of His life, He said, No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have po...

" But was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." -Hebrews 4:15 [KJV] O, says a soul in heaviness, through manifold temptations, surely no one was ever tempted and as I am: St. Paul answers to the contrary. “There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to men,” (I Corinthians 10:13.) Is this any relief and support to you? If not, consider the text.  (1st.) Temptation was common to Christ as man. He was tempted in all points like as we are. View Him beset by Satan. See the hellish arts he practised upon Him. He tempted Him to the lust of the eye—to self-murder—to idolatry—to distrust God—to tempt God—yea, in all points, like as we are. You cannot feel a trial or temptation, but what Christ felt before you. Though he had no sin in His nature for Satan to work upon, yet, He doubtless felt all the assaults, which the power and malice of hell could attack Him with, yet without sin . Therefore, temptations are not sin.  (2d.) Though as G...