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 29, 2014

Feeding on Christ

(Article for publication week of 7-3- AD 2014)
 
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
For several weeks we have been writing to you concerning the principle acts of faith. The reason we are doing this series is to show from the scriptures what true saving faith is, for there is a faith which is not saving (James 2:19, Acts 8:13-23). Dear reader, is your professed faith true saving faith? I will ask each of you to examine yourselves and ask yourselves, "is my faith any different from the faith of devils and unregenerate men?"
We have shown so far three principle acts of faith- receiving Christ (John 1:12) ,coming to Christ (John 6:35), and resting in Christ (Matthew 11:28). These are principle acts of faith, if not exactly synonymous with faith. Next to be considered is feeding on Christ. In our text Christ describes Himself as "the bread of life." Now, we know and understand that Christ was not saying that He is literally a piece of bread. Christ is not literally a "door" as he described Himself in John 10:9. These and other such expressions are illustrative of the wonders of Christ's Person and Work. When Christ describes Himself as the bread of life, He is telling us that He is food for the soul. As natural bread is the "staff" of natural life (that is real bread made from old timey wheat that is nor hybrid or genetically altered), so Christ is the staff of spiritual life to His people. Christ likens Himself to bread because He nourishes and sustains the souls of His people.
We also know and understand that Christ was not saying that we are to literally eat Him, as the papists vainly imagine and teach by the superstitious lie of transubstantiation. When Christ says that believers are to eat Him as the bread of life, He is simply saying that we are to spiritually ingest Him for spiritual life ( see again John 6:35 and compare).
It is Christ the living bread that sustains the souls of believers. Those who feed upon Him shall live forever. They can never be lost nor fall finally away and lose their salvation, for they live by their faith in Christ. "The just shall live by faith." Without the living bread, we would shrivel and die and perish forever.  The Lord Jesus Christ satisfies our souls, as bread satisfies the hungry body.
Now, Christ says, "if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever." Poor sinner, that is an invitation wide enough to include you if you are spiritually hungry. Sadly, most people prefer to stay in the hog pen like the Prodigal son and live off swine's food. But in the Father's house there is plenty of bread and more than plenty. Why don't you quit eating the husks this world offers and believe on Christ by feeding upon Him as living bread?
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