GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

GRACE FOR TODAY

Daily Devotional Readings

Don Fortner

When the children of Israel were settled in the land of Canaan, God ordained that six cities of refuge be set aside, to which a man might flee for security, if he had unintentionally killed another man. These cities of refuge were located strategically throughout the land, so that any one of them could easily be reached within a day's journey from any place in the land of Canaan. If the guilty man could get into the gates of the city before the avenger of blood caught him, he would be secure. These cities of refuge together form a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. They typically represent him to whom we have 'fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us' (Heb. 6:18).

We are informed by the ancient jewish rabbis that, at least once every year, the magistrates of each city were responsible to survey the road to their city, making certain that the road was clear of all debris and easily passable. There must be no obstacles in the way that would hinder any who might flee to the cities of refuge. The magistrates would send out work crews to remove all large rocks and fallen trees from the road, taking the greatest possible care to remove every stumbling-block. Any low places in the road would be filled. Any high places would be levelled. All along the road they placed markers with the word 'refuge' written in bold letters. When the fugitive came to a cross-roads, he needed not hesitate for a moment. Seeing that blessed word, 'refuge', he kept on his breathless pace with relentless determination until he reached the place of merciful safety. Once he entered the gates of the city, he was secure.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the refuge for sinners. All who come to him are saved from the wrath of God. The way to Christ is plainly revealed: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' And Christ, by his righteousness and blood, has removed every obstacle that might keep the sinner who seeks him from finding him. He even sends his Spirit to reveal the way, lead us in the way and bring us safely to our souls' refuge.

The six cities of refuge which Joshua appointed in the land of Canaan were types of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even their names represent him.

Kedesh means 'holy'. Christ is the holy one, both as God and as man. Being the holy God-man, he is abundantly qualified to be our Mediator, Saviour and Redeemer. Christ is made of God unto us righteousness and holiness, justification and sanctification (Ps. 16:10; Heb. 7:26; 1 Cor. 1:30).

Shechem means 'the shoulder'. Christ carried the enormous load of our sin upon the cross and put it away (Isa. 53:6.) The government of the world in general and of his church in particular is upon his shoulder (Isa. 9:6). And in conversion, he finds his lost sheep, lays it upon his shoulder and carries it home (Luke 15:4).

Hebron means 'fellowship'. 'Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ' (I John 1:3). In Christ we have access to and fellowship with the eternal God, and shall have uninterrupted communion with him in heaven's eternal glory (I Cor. 1:9; Eph. 2:18; John 17:24).

Bezer means 'a fortified place'. 'I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust' (Ps. 91:2). 'The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe' (Prov. 18: 10). Christ is the fortress and defence of his people, the stronghold in which the prisoners of hope are secured.

Ramoth means 'exalted'. Christ is our exalted Saviour. 'God hath highly exalted him' (Phil. 2:9). Christ is the one by whom we have been exalted from our low estate to sit among princes and to inherit the throne of glory (Eph. 2:4-7). And Christ is the one we exalt, honour and magnify (Rev. 5:9-10).

Golan means 'revealed', or 'manifested'. Christ is God manifest in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16). He is the one revealed to us, to whom we are called and by whom we are saved (Gal. 1: 15-16). In Christ the glory of God is revealed (2 Cor. 4:6). And that revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is salvation.

The manslayer in Israel had to flee to one of the cities of refuge which God had appointed. If he had fled to any other city for refuge, he would have found no mercy. The avenger of blood would find him and slay him. If he would be saved, he must flee to the refuge God had appointed. Even so, all who would be saved by the grace of God must flee by faith to the refuge God has appointed, and that refuge is Christ. 'Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12). The only refuge for our souls is the Lord Jesus Christ. Both for salvation and for the consolation of our souls in any time of trouble, we must flee to Christ alone. Christ is our refuge, not the church. Christ is our refuge, not our works.

Salvation is obtained only by fleeing to Christ. There was no place of mercy, peace, safety and rest for the manslayer until he ran through the gates into one of those cities of refuge. It was not enough that he knew where the city was located, how large the city was, what provisions were in the city and how to get to the city. If he would be saved he must enter the city.

Once he entered the city four things happened: (1) He declared his cause, confessing his offence. (2) He came under the protection of the city. (3) He received a complete acquittal of all guilt. (4) He was cleansed from all guilt, representatively, when the high priest died. None of these benefits were his until he entered the city. But once he entered, all were his, and his soul was peaceful.In exactly the same way, when the guilty sinner flees to Christ for refuge, he declares his cause: 'I am a sinner in need of mercy' (I John 1:9). He comes under the protection of Christ John 10:27-28). He receives a complete acquittal, full justification, being absolved from all guilt (Rom. 3:24). And he is cleansed from all sin by the blood of Christ, who died as his Representative (Heb. 9:14). Having fled to Christ for refuge, we are safe and secure in him.

Salvation is obtained by faith alone. It is not obtained by faith and baptism, faith and obedience, faith and experience, or even faith and faithfulness. Salvation is obtained by faith alone, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is true, faith is obedient. Faith is confessed in baptism. Faith does bring both feelings and experience and cause faithfulness. But these things come as the result of salvation and life in Christ. They are not the cause (Eph. 2:8-10).

What is this faith? The Amplified Version gives a helpful translation of this verse: 'Believe in and on the Lord Jesus Christ, that is give yourself up to him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself to his keeping, and you will be saved. 'Believing on Christ is not' a bare historical faith, as only to believe that he was the Son of God, and the Messiah, and that he was come in the flesh, and had suffered, and died, and rose again, and was now in heaven at the right hand of God, and would come again to judge the quick and the dead, for there may be such a faith and no salvation' John Gill). Paul's commandment, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ' requires us to look to Christ alone for salvation and life, to rely upon Christ, trusting him and committing the care of our immortal souls to him, and to expect peace, pardon, righteousness and eternal life from him. To believe on Christ is to trust him, venture everything upon him, commit everything to him and receive him. Faith is leaving our souls in the hands of Christ.

This faith in Christ is the commandment of God (I John 3:23). I see no reason why I should be allowed to believe, to trust Christ and be saved by him. But God commands me to do so. Therefore I do believe. Without anything to commend myself to God, I trust Christ. Live or die, sink or swim, I trust him. And doing what God himself has commanded me to do, I cannot perish! The sure result of faith is eternal salvation. 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' You cannot believe Christ and perish!

In the first part of his book The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan describes Christian as a lonely pilgrim, travelling his road to the Celestial City all alone. Along the way, he met some friends, like Faithful and Hopeful, and he was happy to have their company. But he was still a lonely pilgrim. Neither his wife nor his children walked in the path of faith. In the second part of the book, Bunyan gives us a happier portrait of the pilgrim. Christiana joins her husband, Christian, and their children are also walking in the way. Pilgrim, with his family by his side, along with a great many friends, all are travelling as a convoy to the heavenly kingdom.

What a delightful picture! Sometimes godly men and women have to go to heaven alone. Grace does not run in blood lines. Election separates many from their nearest kinsmen. Often the example, the prayers and the admonitions of a believer have no influence over those who are dearest to him. And the believer has to walk in the path of faith, leaving his family behind. Many a Lot has had to flee from his perishing wife. Many a David has been required to mourn over his doomed Absalom. And many an Abraham has prayed without success for his beloved Ishmael. Grace does not run in blood lines. Faith is not an heirloom, passed on from father to son by the will of the father. Salvation is not a birthright. Yet, it is often true, thank God, it is very often true, that the God of Abraham becomes the God of Sarah, then the God of Isaac and then the God of Jacob. God very often saves one and then uses him as an instrument to draw the rest to himself. As Spurgeon put it, 'He calls an individual and then uses him to be a sort of spiritual decoy to bring the rest of the family into the gospel net.' Sometimes God passes by entire families and none are saved. Sometimes God is gracious to one or two in the household. And sometimes whole families are enclosed within the circle of electing love, redeemed by the blood of Christ and called by the efficacious grace of the Holy Spirit. Nothing could be more blessed to a man than to be the father of a family devoted to Christ.

We must leave our families, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters in the hands of God. If they are saved, like all other sinners, they must be saved by the sovereign will and pleasure of God, by his free grace in Christ. Our children, like all others, are children of wrath, deserving God's just punishment for their sins. If God saves our families, we will serve him with gladness. And if God does not save our families, we will still go on serving him with gladness. Even with regard to our beloved families we must, like Eli, say, 'It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good' (I Sam. 3:18). We dare not rebel against the sovereign purpose of our God.

However, we must make certain that none in our households perish through any neglect or carelessness of our own. It is a tragic fact that Lot's family perished due in great measure to the fact that Lot gave too much attention to their material happiness and far too little attention to their spiritual, eternal welfare. Eli's sons were slain under the wrath of God, because Eli was a slothful father who refused to exercise loving discipline in his family (1 Sam. 3:13).

There is nothing selfish about exercising special care for your own family and earnestly seeking your own family's salvation. In God's providence, your family is the first, primary sphere of your responsibility. It is not wrong, but most natural and proper, that your desire for the salvation of others should, first of all, be towards your own family. Those who live under your roof have special claims upon your care. God has not reversed the laws of nature. He has sanctified them by the rule of his grace. It is only right that Abraham should pray for Ishmael, that Hannah should pray for Samuel and that David should pray for Solomon. It is only right that Andrew should first find his brother Simon and bring him to the Saviour, and that Eunice should teach her son Timothy the way of salvation and life in Christ. Let every believer resolve, by the grace of God, to do whatever can be done to bring his or her family into the kingdom of heaven.

In Acts 16 the Holy Spirit directs our attention to the Philippian jailor and 'all his house'. He gives us seven instructive pictures of that family.

l. The jailor and all his house were lost and perishing. This man and his family lived in the prison compound at Philippi, in darkness and ignorance as children of wrath (Eph. 2:11-12). But they were elect, chosen of God and precious. And the time of mercy had come.

2. God saw to it that the jailor and all his house heard the gospel. The Lord arranged an earthquake to open the door for the gospel to be preached to this jailor at midnight. Having heard the gospel himself, the jailor called his family together so that they might hear and be saved.

3. The jailor and all his house believed on Christ. Each one heard the gospel of redeeming love and saving grace. Each one believed. And each one was saved.

4. The jailor and all his house confessed Christ in baptism. All who were baptized were believers, and all who believed were baptized. Immediately upon their profession of faith, they confessed Christ, being buried with him in the watery grave.

5. The jailor and all his house served Christ. Believing and being baptized, each one seems to have said, 'What can I do for Christ?' And they did what was at hand: they served the needs of God's messengers. They washed their wounds, fed them and entertained them willingly at a most unaccommodating time.

6. The jailor and all his house rejoiced in the Lord. Faith in Christ caused them to rejoice. They were forgiven, justified, accepted in Christ and heirs of eternal life. Why should they not rejoice?

7. Though it is not written in the text, it is clearly revealed that the jailor and all his house are now in glory. There, seated before the throne of the Lamb are the jailor, his wife, all his children and all his servants. What a delightful picture! I cannot help asking myself this question: 'Will all my house be there with me?' Will yours? May God be so gracious to you and to me.

God only knows who his elect are. If our sons and daughters are numbered among them they will be saved. Not one of God's chosen ones will perish. Christ will have those whom he has redeemed. In God's time he will call his own from death to life by the power of the Holy Spirit. If some of our children are not chosen of God, they will not be saved. They will not believe. And those who will not believe deserve to perish. But it is our responsibility to do what we can to bring our families into the family of God. I offer these words of instruction to you who believe, to you who are interested in the immortal souls of your sons and daughters.

1. If you want your family to be saved, see to it that you worship God with your family. If you do not see to it that your children hear the gospel, it is because you do not care for their souls. If you neglected to feed Your children, it would be reasonable to assume that you cared nothing for their bodies. And if you do not provide them with the gospel of Christ, both by private instruction and by bringing them to hear the Word preached, it is obvious that you do not care for their souls. You can do nothing that is more positively harmful to your family than to rob them of the ministry of the Word.

2. If you care for the souls of your children you will exercise loving discipline in your home. Eli was a believer. He showed his wicked sons the way of faith and life in Christ. He taught them the gospel. He taught them right from wrong. And he prayed for them. But he was a miserable failure as a father, because he exercised no discipline over them. 'He restrained them not!' God told him plainly that the cause of his sons' death was his lack of' discipline as a father.

3. If you want your children to follow Christ, let them see that you follow Christ. By all means see to it that your sons and daughters regularly attend the ministry of the gospel. See to it that you pray for them and discipline them. But if your religion is all lip service, they will soon detect your hypocrisy. Set before them an example of love for, faith in and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible is the Word of God, inspired, infallible, without error. That is not a debatable point of theology. It is a fact, plainly revealed, which all Christians rejoice to acknowledge. Those who deny the inerrancy of Holy Scripture are not Christians. They are infidels. The Bible was not written and compiled by the will of man: 'But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost' (2 Peter 1:21). The Bible was written by supernatural inspiration. It reveals supernatural things. It can only be understood by supernatural illumination (1 Cor. 2:9-14). To the natural man the Word of God is mysterious, unexplainable and confusing. To the man who is taught of God it is wonderfully simple and comforting. When blessed of God to the hearts of those who read it and hear it preached, the Bible has a marvellous power to transform the lives of men. It is 'quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart' (Heb. 4:12). As it has power to transform the lives of men, the Bible has power to comfort and encourage the hearts of men. There is no source of comfort for the troubled heart like the Word of God, no source of strength and encouragement for the despondent soul like the promises of Holy Scripture. That blessed volume is the Word of God. I have proved it to be time and again in my own heart. For me, that is stronger proof than all the arguments of learned apologists and philosophical critics. I have seen and felt the power of Holy Scripture in my own life and in the lives of others. The Holy Scriptures, being the Word of God, win our reverence, claim our faith and demand our obedience in all things. And 'these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name' John 20:31). The Bible was not written to be a textbook on science, history, morality, or even theology, though, where it speaks of these things, it is infallible. The Word of God was written to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ and redemption by him.

Without question these words teach us that the Lord Jesus Christ died for and redeemed a particular people. It gives me no particular pleasure to tell people that there are some in this world for whom Christ did not die, but I must insist upon it. If I told you that Christ died for all men alike, in an effort to redeem all men, the implication of my doctrine would be that salvation is determined not by what Christ has done for men, but by what men do for themselves. And that is totally contrary to the plainest statements of Holy Scripture (Rom. 9: 16). It does give me great pleasure to tell sinners, as the Word of God plainly asserts, that Christ Jesus died for some perishing sinners, and all of those for whom he died will be saved by the merits of his sin-atoning sacrifice.

The Word of God plainly teaches that our Lord Jesus Christ died as a Substitute in the place of some of Adam's fallen race, but not all. Christ himself said, 'I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep... I lay down my life for the sheep.' Then he turned to some who were in the crowd, and said, 'Ye are not of my sheep' John 10: 11, 15, 26).

Christ died to make propitiation for our sins, to satisfy the justice of God for his people, so that God might be just and the justifier of all who believe (Rom. 3:24-26). Because God is just, we know that he cannot punish sin twice, once in the sinner's Substitute and again in the sinner himself. If God punished my sin in Christ, he cannot punish sin in me too. That would not be just and equitable. Belief in God's justice and righteousness will not allow us to accept the notion that Christ died for any who ultimately perish under the wrath of God. That would be a travesty of justice. There would be a holiday in hell; Satan and the demons would rejoice and mock the Son of God for ever, if it should ever come to pass that one for whom Christ died and whom he tried to save perished in spite of his redemptive work. The fiends of hell will never have such a holiday. Every soul for whom Christ died will be with him in glory. He will see to it!

The Bible is a book with one message and purpose. The message of the Bible is redemption by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and its purpose is the salvation of sinners for the glory of God.

This is the thing I want you to see: the singular purpose of Holy Scripture is to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible was written to show us our blessed Saviour. This fact was beautifully illustrated by our Lord himself when he came into the synagogue at Nazareth. He opened the book of God and read to the people from the prophecy of Isaiah. Then he closed the book, laid it down and, as the people waited to hear his sermon, he said, 'This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears' (Luke 4:18-21). Sitting before them, God in human flesh, our Saviour said, 'I am the one of whom the prophet spoke!'

The risen Christ met two of his disciples on the Emmaus road and walked with them. As they talked together, he opened the Scriptures to them and caused them to understand that all the Scriptures spoke of him (Luke 24:27, 44-47). When Philip the evangelist met the Ethiopian eunuch, the eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53. Beginning at that place, Philip 'preached unto him Jesus' (Acts 8:35). When Peter stood up and preached to the Gentiles at Caesarea, he said, 'To him [the Lord Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins' (Acts 10:43). When Paul came to Thessalonica, 'As his manner was, [he] went in unto them [in the synagogue], and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ' (Acts 17:2-3). In the book of Hebrews, when Christ came into the world, we are told that he said, 'Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God' (Heb. 10:7).

Jesus Christ and him crucified is the sum and substance of Holy Scripture.

The apostle Paul tells us that when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in heaven with his own blood, offering to God the Father the merits of his sin-atoning sacrifice as the sinner's Substitute, he obtained eternal redemption'. His one sacrifice for sin was gloriously effectual. When our Saviour cried, 'It is finished', he fully accomplished the redemption of his people. The death of Christ effectually secured and guaranteed the eternal salvation of God's elect. Those sinners whom he represented, for whom he died, will never be condemned.

1. I know that all for whom Christ died will be saved, because they are completely forgiven of all sin. 'We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace' (Eph. 1:6). God charged our sins to Christ, Christ nailed them to the cross and his blood washed them away (Col. 1: 13-15).

2. Those for whom Christ shed his blood must be saved, because they are completely freed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13; Rom. 8: 1). When Christ was made to be sin for us, he was made it curse for us. When he died under the curse of the law for us he removed our sins. Removing our sins, he removed us from the curse. Where there is no sin there can be no curse.

3. All God's elect will be saved, because they have been completely justified by the death of Christ. Justification is received by faith, but it was fully accomplished at Calvary. Christ was 'delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification' (Rom. 4:25). To be justified is to be cleared of all charges, to be just as if I had never sinned. No charge will be laid against God's elect, because God has fully justified us in Christ (Rom. 8:33).

4. And all who were crucified with Christ will be with Christ in heaven, because they are already in heaven representatively. When Christ died as our Substitute, we died in him. And when he arose and ascended back into heaven as our Representative before God, we arose and ascended into heaven with him (Eph. 2:4-5). Blessed be God, the finished work of Christ was the full, effectual accomplishment of redemption for all his elect!

One of the most beautiful and most frequently used pictures of Christ in the Scriptures is that of a shepherd. A shepherd is one who tends sheep. He serves sheep. He knows his sheep. He leads them, feeds them, protects them and nurses them. The shepherd leads his sheep out in the morning, tends them through the day and puts them in the fold at night. What could be more blessed than the realization that 'The Lord is my Shepherd'? Our Saviour is not a hireling shepherd, who cares not for the sheep. He is an owner-shepherd, one who both owns and cares for the sheep.

Throughout the Word of God, Christ is presented to us as a Shepherd. He is Jehovah's Shepherd, the one who was smitten by the sword of divine justice, so that his sheep might go free and be saved (Zech. 13:7-9). Christ is the Good Shepherd, who willingly, voluntarily laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:11). We deserved to die, but Christ took our place. He died in our room and in our stead, as our Substitute. He willingly took our sins upon himself', endured the penalty of the law which should have fallen upon us and paid all the debt we owed. Christ is the great Shepherd, who rose from the dead in triumph and victory (Heb. 13:20). Christ is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, who saves us and preserves us unto life everlasting (1 Peter 2:25). Christ Jesus is the Shepherd of the sheep, who gathers his little lambs in his arms and carries them in his bosom (Isa. 40:11). Our Lord is the Covenant Shepherd of his people, under whose care we have peace (Ezek. 34:22-25). And Christ is the Chief Shepherd, who soon will appear the second time without sin unto salvation (1 Peter 5:4).

What a blessed, delightful picture! Christ is our Shepherd! And we who believe are his sheep. We belong to him! We are his by covenant agreement John 6:39), by lawful purchase (1 Peter 1: 18) and by our own voluntary consent (Gal. 3:26). Rejoice in this: Christ knows us by intimate, eternal love! Sheep of God, snuggle up in the arms of your Shepherd today, and be at peace.

This parable is recorded to illustrate one thing: it shows us the deep, self-sacrificing love of the Lord Jesus Christ for perishing sinners. It opens the very heart of the eternal God and shows us how delightful it is to God to save sinners, because 'He delighteth in mercy' (Micah 7:18).

In this parable our Lord mentions three groups of sheep: the one hundred, the ninety and nine and the one lost sheep.

1. The one hundred represent all mankind in this world. All the sons of Adam, both the righteous and the wicked, belong to the Lord Jesus Christ as his creatures. All were made by him and all belong to him. And all people belong to Christ, our Mediator and King. Whether willingly or unwillingly, all are his servants, under his sovereign dominion. God the Father has given Christ power, dominion and authority over all flesh, so that he might give eternal life to all his elect (John 17:2).

2. The ninety and nine represent the self-righteous Pharisees of this world. In their own eyes they are righteous and just and need no repentance. They feel no need of a Saviour. They do not want mercy and grace. So they are left to perish in the wilderness of their own ignorance. To them the Lord says, 'The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost' (Matt. 18:11). 'They that are whole [in their own opinion] need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance' (Luke 5:31-32).

3. The one lost sheep represents all of God's elect in this world, lost and ruined in sin. Christ, our Good Shepherd, is totally consumed with seeking and saving his lost sheep. He seeks his sheep until he finds it. And when he finds his sheep, he lays it upon his shoulders and carries it safely home. In his incarnation the Shepherd came after his lost sheep. In his life he continually sought his sheep. In his death he laid the sheep upon his shoulders. In his resurrection he bore the sheep on its way. And in his ascension be brought it home rejoicing. Not one of the Shepherd's sheep will perish. They are his responsibility. He must, and he will bring all his lost sheep safely home rejoicing.

Here is a divine gift: 'I give unto them eternal life.' There was nothing in our hearts or conduct which caused God to bestow eternal life upon us (Jer. 31:3) and there is nothing in the believer's heart or conduct which can cause the Lord to take away his gift of life (Isa. 54: 10). It is contrary to the nature of God to take away those gifts which he has freely bestowed upon his people (Rom. 11: 29). Knowing that eternal life is entirely the free gift of God, in no way earned by or dependent upon man we are persuaded that those to whom eternal life is given are eternally secure in Christ (Eccles. 3:14). Eternal life must, of necessity, be eternal.

Here is a divine promise: 'And they shall never perish.' Our Lord here makes a blanket promise. It takes into consideration all times, circumstances, contingencies, events and possibilities. What if they are babes and their faith is weak? 'They shall never perish!' What if they are young men and their passions are strong? 'They shall never perish!' What if they are old men and their vision grows dim? 'They shall never perish!' What if they are tempted? 'They shall never perish!' 'What if all hell breaks loose against them? 'They shall never perish!' What if they fall? 'They shall never perish!' What if they sin? 'They shall never perish!' What if they sin again? 'They shall never perish!' This promise takes in all the flock. Not one of Christ's sheep will ever perish, no, not even one! This is not the distinctive privilege of a few. It is the common mercy of all. If you are a believer, if you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, if you have received eternal life from him, you will never perish! Christ himself has promised it.

Here is a divine security: 'Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.' We are preserved in the heart of our Saviour's eternal love and we are preserved in the hand of his omnipotent grace. 'All thy saints are in thy hands.' We are in the hands of God our Saviour, always in his hands. What a blessed place to be!

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