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, June 8, 2014

Come to Christ and Welcome

(Article for publication week of 6-12- AD 2014)

 
"Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37b). Oh! What a wonderful word from the dear Saviour of sinners! Awakened sinner, I bring you good news from Christ's own gracious lips; He will not cast out any who come to Him for salvation.
The Saviour of sinners welcomes you to come to Him this very moment. He will not cast you out though your sins are as black as hell. There are none too sinful for the Lord Jesus Christ to save. It is written of the Son of man that He "receiveth sinners"! And I am so glad that I can read that in the word of God. I was as vile as a sinner could be, but the Lord Jesus Christ received me when I came to Him by faith. And I know that if He did not cast me out, He will not cast you out either, if you come to Him as a sinner to be saved. But one of my readers may be thinking, "oh! but Brother Floyd, you don't know how wicked I have been! I cannot believe that the dear Saviour would receive me. I fear that if I come to Him He would cast me out, and I feel that is just what I deserve." Poor sinner, you have Christ's Own words, "I will in no wise cast out." If you will read the scriptures you will find that Christ received prostitutes, tax collectors, blasphemers, thieves, murderers, persecutors, idolaters and the vilest of the vile who repented of their sins and threw themselves on His mercy. Though you feel yourself to be the very worst of sinners, your case is no worse that many others that Christ has saved. Why, I even read where Christ has saved filthy sodomites (I Corinthians 6:9-11). Every filthy sinner that has come to the cleansing fountain has been washed as white as snow. Christ has made harlots into virtuous women, crooks into honest men, persecutors into preachers, and filthy sodomites into normal people. That is the saving power of Him Who says, "him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Christ welcomes you poor sinner to  come to Him and be saved from the penalty, power, pollution, and (ultimately) the presence of sin. Do you desire to be saved from your filthy sins and be released from its bondage? Then come to Christ and be saved today.
But perhaps some are thinking, "oh! how I wish to come to Christ, but I  feel my utter inability! I have tried everything, but I  am no better." Poor sinner, though you have no power in yourself, the power is in the Saviour Who bids you come! The first half of my text is a promise that all that the Father gave to the Son shall come to Him. John 6:37 provides two crutches for helpless sinners to hobble to Christ upon. Cry out to the Great Physician right now and beg Him to draw you by His power to Himself.
And then there may be someone else thinking, "I know I cannot come to Christ, for I have rejected Him so many times before. I was raised by Godly parents who pointed me to Christ, but I refused and went my own way. I had a faithful pastor who pleaded with me every Lord's day to repent and come to Christ and be saved, but I would not." Poor sinner, Christ has saved more than a few in just such circumstances. I believe that if you are pained in your soul about such things, it may be the Holy Spirit is dealing with you this very moment.
Let no sinner despair of being saved as long as the Saviour of sinners says "him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Comet to Christ, and welcome. Come to Christ and be saved.
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