Over the last 20 years I
have tried to set forth before my hearers the truth of the gospel of the free
grace of God in Christ crucified. I have sought to tell the truth to eternity
bound men and women about what God in His word says that we are: sinners, lost,
hopeless and helpless in ourselves and void of any good or any righteousness. I
have endeavored to set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Hope. I have
insisted upon His righteousness imputed to the sinner and received by God-given
faith as the only basis upon which a holy God can accept such sinners as we are.
I have shown how His cross death was the full payment price of redemption, how
His work in life and death was the finished work of righteousness and salvation
and how He fully satisfied the law and justice of God on the behalf of every
believing sinner. I have insisted upon God’s willingness to receive any sinner
who comes to Him trusting Christ alone and repenting of all others and all else.
I have urged men and women not to trust in the works present or past, to give up
all connections to their godless religions of the past and to expect every
spiritual blessing of God in Christ if He is their Lord and Savior.
As I have
done this, I have found the scriptures to be true. The words of Christ and
others that can be summed up in the words of the old hymn writer: “All is vain
unless the Spirit of the Holy One come down.” How true those words are! Without
a doubt, the preaching of Christ crucified is a sweet savor to God in those that
are being saved and in those that perish. It can never be a vain thing in that
sense. But as it pertains to the actual saving of a sinner and in bringing that
sinner to believe the message of the gospel, preaching alone, even the preaching
of the truth, cannot alone accomplish what is necessary. It is as our Lord has
said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
Again, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:”
(John 6:44) All are so “dead in trespasses and sins” that unless there be this
great awakening, life-giving work of God’s Spirit in us, none will live
spiritually or believe. Faith does not produce this life, this life from above
produces faith. From time to time, some have believed and continue to do so. For
this we thank God and pray that He would keep us faithful to preach His gospel.
Ours is to preach Christ, His is to give life and faith to believe on Him. We
preach Christ crucified, knowing “all is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One
come down..”