About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

A Call for Self-Examination

(Article for publication week of 8-8- AD 2013)

“Not everyone that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy Name done many wonderful works?” And then will I profess unto them, ‘ I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ “

Dear reader, will Christ say these awful words to you at the Day of Judgment? Will Christ say unto you, ‘depart from me, I never knew you'? You had better examine yourself and be sure you are right with God, lest ye spend eternity where the fire is not quenched and the worm dieth not! If you have been a false professor and a lost church member, it is not too late for you (as far as I know- the Lord knoweth infallibly) to repent and come to Christ and be genuinely saved.

I have been writing on this text for several weeks now and warning you all of false profession, which is a reality, according to our Lord. Today we shall begin to examine the root problems with false profession, and urge each of you to examine yourselves by the word of God. Shake off all carnal security and be honest with God, yourself and the Church.

The first thing we notice about the false professors of which our Lord speaks is their surprise that the Lord would not have them and welcome them into His heaven. This is one of the main problems with pseudo Christians- they never have any doubts about their salvation. They are so cocky, they think there is no way they could be lost. After all, they accepted Jesus, joined the Church and do all kinds of religious things. Why many of them are even preachers of the gospel! At the final Judgment they are just absolutely astounded that Christ would not have them.

Now, please do not go off on any tangent here. I am not suggesting that true Christians cannot have a good assurance of their standing in grace. As a matter of fact, the scriptures urge us to “make our calling and election sure” (II Peter 1:10), and the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle John to write I John so believers could know they are saved (I John 5:13). But what I am warning against is the cocky attitude of many professed Christians who just “know” they are saved, but have no tangible, Biblical reason to know it. On the other hand, there are many true saints who are often filled with doubts and fears about themselves and are like one old boy who said, “Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief”(Mark 9:24)! True believers agree with the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, who wrote, “If my soul were sent to hell, Thou righteous law approves it well.”

Dear reader, don’t be so cocky. Come to grips with the fact that you may be in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. If you have made a false profession, repent today and beg Christ to have mercy upon you. And finally, I want to warn all you who have never professed Christ, to shake off your carnal security also, for the Saviour warns that He will deny all those who deny Him. May the Lord have mercy upon you and save you.



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