Consolidation of Blogs

Dear Readers,

For the past several years we have been maintaining two separate, but identical blogs for the Narrow Way articles. As of today, we are eliminating that redundancy and will only be posting the articles on our mirror site, which can be found at  mt714.blogspot.com.

Brother Floyd continues to author all the articles and may be contacted directly from that site.

Thanks and God bless,
Dale

Remember the Sabbath Day

(Article for publication week of 3-3- AD 2016)

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is in thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8-11).

The first thing that we learn from the Fourth Commandment is that our time is not our own. God created us for His glory, not for our own glory. Every man belongs to God by creation. Since we are His property He has the authority to command us in every aspect of our lives. The Christian is doubly the property of God because we have been purchased with the blood of Christ, and redeemed from the ruin of Adam's Fall (I Corinthians 6:20). This is a lesson we will do well to learn soon, and the sooner the better. It is a terrible sin to imagine that you can do whatever you want without regard to what God has commanded.  Every day, and every moment of our lives are lived under the gaze of Jehovah God who created us, and now sustains us. "In Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

Our catechism asks us the question, "what is the chief end of man?" Our prescribed answer is "the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." The Fourth Commandment teaches us to consider our purpose in life, and the proper motive for everything that we do. If you do not desire to glorify God, then I am quite certain that you do not now enjoy God. And if you do not now enjoy God, I am sure you will not enjoy Him in eternity. The Fourth Commandment requires us to seriously reflect on the very purpose of our existence. Unconverted people in reality have no real purpose in life. Dear reader if your only purpose in life is to seek temporal pleasure, then you are of all men most miserable. Right now is the beginning of forever, and it behooves us to begin right now glorifying God and enjoying Him with our time.

Note well, the Fourth Commandment not only commands us to rest one day in seven, but it also positively commands us to work six days a week. The command to work six days a week is of equal importance with the command to rest the seventh day. Our work should prepare us for our worship, and our worship should prepare us for our work. God created Man to work (Genesis 2:15), and the Fourth Commandment reminds us of our original creation and the purpose of our existence. We are to give glory to God in our earthly callings by labouring with a sense of duty to our Great God.  So , you see we may break the Fourth Commandment as much by idleness, as by unlawful labour on the Sabbath.

The inspired Psalmist, Moses, prays in Psalm 91:12, "so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." If you will learn to rightly number your days, then honour the Lord with your time, by remembering the sabbath day to keep it holy, and by being faithful in your vocation. You are not your own, and your time is not your own. Submit yourself to God and His precepts in all that you do, every moment of every day. This is the underlying principle of the Fourth Commandment.

The Fourth Commandment

(Article for publication week of 2-25- AD 2016)

"Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8-11).

This week we begin a new series for the Narrow Way on the Fourth Commandment. I feel compelled to write on this subject, first, because there is much misunderstanding among professed Christians regarding the fourth commandment. This very day a precious brother approached me as to whether the Christian Church is observing the right day as the sabbath. Secondly, I am compelled to write on this subject because it is one of the most neglected duties in our generation, and in our own part of the world, and one of the sins in which the modern church is most culpable. I lay much of the blame on the ministry for not teaching these things as they should. It is my prayer that the Lord will use our upcoming articles to provoke the Lord's people to be more diligent in their remembrance of the fourth commandment, and that the local ministry will be stirred to study this subject and teach it to their people.

The root of the problem regarding the sin of sabbath breaking is the antinomian spirit of the age. Antinomian means "against the law." Again, I lay most of the blame on the professed church, and especially on the ministry. The church in your day and mine has generally set aside the law of God, in contradiction to our Lord's words in Matthew 5:17 when He said, "think not I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." The Apostle Paul taught the same thing in Romans 3:31 when he wrote, "do we then make void the law, through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." But many church members and preachers will protest, "but Romans 6:14 says we are "not under the law, but under grace." They leave out the first half of the verse which says, "sin shall not have dominion over you." You cannot define sin without the law (I John 3:4).The context of Romans 6:14 will prove that what Paul means by saying we are not under the law is that we are not under the condemnation of the law, nor are we under the law for justification. But this text does not teach, nor does any other scripture teach, that the we are released from the law as a rule of life. The modern day church has changed the words of the old hymn to "Free from the law, oh blessed condition, now I can sin with God's permission"! Dear reader, though that may be the secret thought in your heart, and your attitude toward the law of God, it is completely against the word of God. As a warning to all you antinomians I direct you to our Lord's solemn words in Matthew 7:23 that on the Day of Judgment He will say to many, "depart from me, ye that work iniquity." The word "iniquity" is translated from the Greek "anomian," which means "no law" or "lawlessness." Our Lord gave a sober warning to all who break the least of the commandments and teach others so (Matthew 7:19).

Lord willing, in the coming weeks we shall show the perpetuity of the law (including and especially the fourth commandment), the change of the Sabbath to the first day of the week since our Lord's resurrection,  the proper observance of the Sabbath, the scriptural principles of work and rest, and perhaps some other aspects of the fourth commandment. May the Lord bless all my readers.

Without Price - Part 4

(Article for publication week of 2-18- AD 2016)

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

For the past three weeks we have been declaring the freeness of salvation. Salvation is without price, first because it is of such infinite value that should God require anything from the sinner, no one could ever be saved. Secondly salvation is free because all men are spiritually bankrupt. Should God require one penny (spiritually speaking) from a sinner, again, none could be saved. Salvation is of infinite value, and we have nothing to pay, so God gives it as a free gift to the glory of His grace. Then thirdly, salvation is free because Christ has paid the price in full. Ultimately, this is the main reason that salvation is free, because the infinite price was paid by the Eternal Son of God on Calvary's cross. Salvation is free to the sinner, but it was at great cost to God.

Now, fourthly, and finally, we shall (with the help of the Holy Spirit) show you that salvation is "without price" in the glorious way that it actually becomes ours, that is by faith alone. I refer you to Ephesians 2:8-9 where we read "for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Salvation is received entirely by faith alone, apart from any human effort or merit. "It is of faith, that it might be by grace" we read in Romans 4:16. Saved by faith is practically synonymous with saved by grace.

Now, I will have you to note well that faith is not your contribution to the work of salvation. Indeed we have already shown that you are ten thousand talents in debt without a farthing to pay, and Christ has already paid the price in full. Sadly, faith is generally presented as a sinner's contribution to his own salvation. Misguided (and we fear unconverted) preachers have told their hearers that God has done all He can do, and now it is up to the sinner to make the decisive move by an act of his own "free will." Thus, the sinner is erroneously told that his faith is the deciding factor in his salvation. This is patently wrong, and we fear that many will perish in their sins unless they come to a Biblical understanding of saving faith.

Faith cannot be a sinner's contribution to salvation because there is no merit in faith. The blood of Christ is the only payment that God will ever receive as payment for your sins and my sins. The greatest faith of the dearest saints cannot atone for sin. "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus" we sometimes sing. Sinner, your faith cannot take away your sins! Your repentance cannot atone for sin. Your good works and efforts to reform cannot take away your sins. If your sins were not purged by the precious blood of Christ, you must be forever damned! There is no merit in faith, nor is there any strength in faith. Saving faith is an empty hand whereby a poor, bankrupt, quickened sinner simply receives the infinite gift of salvation. You cannot come to Christ any other way than as a bankrupt sinner. God will allow no boasting in His presence. As Isaac Watts wrote, "no more my God, I boast no more, of all the duties I have done. I quit the hopes I held before, to trust the merits of Thy Son." Or as another expressed it, "just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me; and that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God I come"! Or as dear Joseph Hart said, "Come Ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore. Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity, joined with power! Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream. All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him"! Poor sinner, do you feel your need of Christ? Then come to Him this instant, trusting not in anything you have done or felt, but trusting in Him and His righteousness alone for your salvation. He has sweetly promised that He will cast none out who come to Him!

Without Price - Part 3

(Article for publication week of 2-11- AD 2016)

"Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

The Old Testament gospel herald proclaims that salvation is free. We see from the text that the Old Testament saints had the gospel of free grace just as we do, although it is clearer now that Christ has come and now that the New Testament has been written. Free Salvation was proclaimed to God's elect among the Jews under the Old testament just as it is to us today.

We observed in the two previous articles that salvation is free first, because it is such a valuable gift that none of us could ever pay the price, and secondly, because we are all bankrupt, ten thousand talents in debt and not a farthing to pay, What a glorious gospel we have to preach! Salvation is of infinite value, and none of us have a penny to pay, so God freely gives it "without money, and without price."

But we proceed this week to show, thirdly,that salvation is free to sinners because the Lord Jesus Christ has paid the price in full. I direct your attention to Acts 20:28 where we read that God hath purchased the Church with His blood. Redemption is spoken of here in terms of the marketplace. Certain Fullerites and Arminians have scornfully referred to this as a "commercial" view of the atonement, but that is the language of Acts 20:28. Go read it yourself. (You preachers pay special attention to your duty as given there.) The death of Christ paid for all the sins of all His elect forever. There was a debt that we owed to God because of our sins. You will remember that the Model Prayer speaks of sin in terms of indebtedness (see again Matthew 6:12 then compare Luke 7:42). When we had nothing to pay, Christ came and poured out His blood as the price of our redemption.  We have been redeemed, not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:18-19).

Now, I say unto you that God the Father was satisfied with the price that His Son paid for our redemption. Yea, not I, but the Holy Writ says it. Let us read in Isaiah 53:11, "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." God the Father is satisfied because His Son finished the work of redemption that was appointed to Him from all eternity (see John 17:4). All of our efforts and works and attempts at righteous living are nothing but filthy rags before our Holy God. Isaiah 64:6 says all our righteousnesses are but "filthy rags." What do you think the president of Trustmark or Peoples Bank would say if you went and tried to pay off your mortgage with a big pile of dirty rags? Why, he would either laugh you out of the bank, or else call the folks over at Whitfield (that is where the State insane asylum is for all my out of state readers). Why do you think God is any more impressed with your so-called righteousness?

Well, poor awakened sinner, the good news is that you don't have to pay anything for salvation because the Eternal Son of God acting, as our Substitute and Surety assumed all our obligations and has paid the price in full. Yes that old hymn is gospel truth--"Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe." Poor sinner, there is nothing for you to do to help pay for your sin debt because Christ has paid it all. I pray the Holy Spirit will help you to believe that and you may rejoice in a finished salvation. Christ has paid the price of priceless salvation, so it is "without money and without price" to all who repent of their sins and come to Him by faith.

Without Price - Part 2

 (Article for publication week of 2-4- AD 2016)

"Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

Last week we showed that the gospel invitation is extended to all who are thirsty, spiritually. Those who are dead in their sins have no spiritual thirst and are not interested in this invitation. Then we began to consider that salvation is absolutely free. It is without price, first of all because salvation is a priceless gift.

Secondly, salvation is free because all mankind is spiritually bankrupt. All of us are ten thousand talents in debt and have not a farthing to pay. Our Lord illustrated your case and mine this way in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:23-35. We have run ourselves hopelessly into debt to God's justice by our sins. We were born as spiritual debtors because our father Adam, who is the federal head of the whole human race sinned against God and we all sinned in him Romans 5:12, 19). We were born with the nature of our fallen head and were sinners the moment we were conceived (see Psalm 51:5). Being fallen and natural sinners, we began to practice sin as soon as we were born for the scripture says that we came forth from the womb speaking lies (Psalm 58:3). Sin is analogous to indebtedness as we see in Matthew 6:12. Every day you are adding to your spiritual indebtedness by your continual sins. Furthermore your imagined righteousness is only "splendid sin" (in the words of another), according to Isaiah 64:6. Your (supposed) good works are abominable to God unless they follow after justification and are such as God has actually commanded and are performed from a principle of love by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. Dear Reader, do you realise that you are hopelessly ruined and bankrupt before God? Do you realise that you are indeed "ten thousand talents" in debt, and "not a farthing" to pay. In today's money, we could say ten trillion dollars in debt and not a penny to pay. If God required us to pay for salvation, not one human being could ever be saved for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

But praise the Lord! God does not require any payment from a poor sinner for salvation. He freely gives salvation "without money and without price." Salvation is a free gift from first to last (Ephesians 2:8-9). He justifies His people "freely by His grace" (Romans 2:24). For some reason, man in his wretched pride would rather that salvation be (at least in some measure) by his own works or efforts. Proud man thinks he can do something, or be something, or believe something, or decide something, or pay something, or offer something, or say something  to move the Sovereign of the universe to accept him and receive him on the basis of his own performance. But my friend, I want you to know God will have none of that. You will either be saved freely by His grace without money and without price, or you will perish in your sins and be damned forever.

Now here is what every sensible sinner ought to do. Go to God in the name of His Son and declare your spiritual insolvency. Admit your bankrupt condition. Renounce all your sins and all your righteousness too. Throw yourself on God's mercy that is found in His Blessed Son. Come and receive salvation without price. Come to Christ with nothing in your hand. Come and plead the righteousness of Him Who bled and died to pay for the sins of His people and now lives forever to intercede for all who come to Him by faith. He has promised that he will never cast away those who come to Him. may the Holy Spirit open your eyes to see your spiritual bankruptcy and grant you faith to believe in the Saviour.

Without Price

(Article for publication week of 1-28- AD 2016)

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come,  buy wine and milk without money, and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

The Book of Isaiah, especially the last twenty seven chapters is the gospel in the Old Testament. Here is the voice of the gospel herald hearkening to us with a glad announcement. He begins with "ho" to awaken our attention and to announce that he has a message worthy of our consideration and acceptation.

First, notice to whom the gospel invitation is extended. It is to those who are "thirsty." Now, we know that this refers not to natural thirst, but rather to spiritual thirst. This is an evidence of spiritual life. Those who are spiritually dead are not spiritually thirsty any more than a naturally dead corpse is interested in the cold water from the spring. Even so the gospel invitation is addressed to all those who have been quickened by the Holy Spirit and awakened to their lost condition and as such thirst for the living waters that only Christ can supply. So the Lord promised, "blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). So, we also read in Revelation 22:17, "and the Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Does my column this week come to one in such a case? Dear Reader, are you thirsty for that salvation that only Christ can give and that will satisfy a soul desperate for spiritual water? Well, hear my text--- salvation is absolutely free, "without money and without price."

Salvation has to be free, firstly, because it is priceless. The value is of such infinite worth that were it not free no one could ever obtain it. How would you place a value on your soul being saved from the everlasting fires of hell? How would you place a value on being saved from the power of sin over your benighted faculties? What value could ever be placed on being rescued from the pollution and filth of sin? What price tag could ever be placed on knowing Christ? How would you assess the value of the peace of mind that only Christ can give? What value could be placed on having an eternal inheritance reserved in heaven for you? What is it worth, say ye, to be right with God? What price tag would you place on being sanctified and perfected forever in Christ? These are just a few of the spiritual blessings that are treasured up in Christ for His people, and they are, I assert priceless and above estimation for their value. I suppose our infinitely Great and Omniscient God could tell us their true worth, but it would be greater than our human minds could fathom. So, since salvation is of such infinite value as to be priceless, God just freely gives it "without money and without price"!

Now, I want you to think with me a minute about what an insult it must be to God when bankrupt sinners try to pay something for their salvation. God freely gives a priceless gift, but then some ignorant wretch supposes he will pay for it with his own good works or merits or personal righteousness. That is an insult to the High King of heaven! Dear reader, are you trying to earn salvation by doing good deeds, or giving alms to the poor, or dipping soup at the soup kitchen, or tithing to the church, or repeating prayers, or some other so-called good work? Some of these things may be all right if you are doing them out of love for God. But listen, good works have to come after salvation, not before. And none of these things, nor any real or imagined good work will ever pay for, or help pay for the salvation of your poor soul. So thirsty soul, come to the living fountain and buy without money and without price for the priceless gift of salvation is absolutely free.

White as Snow

(Article for publication week of 1-21- AD 2016)

" 'Come now, and let us reason together,' saith the LORD: 'though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool' " (Isaiah 1:18).

The Baptist pastor and commentator, John Gill, who was one of the most able Hebraists in the history of the Church tells us that our text is actually parenthetical. In the midst of renouncing the sins of national Israel, the inspired prophet reminds the elect remnant among them of the sovereign grace of God. There never was but a few of the Israelites who were truly saved, but God always preserves the remnant according to the election of grace, and encourages them by his gospel.

First, our text describes the heinousness of sin. "Your sins be as scarlet" and are "red like crimson." Dear reader, this describes you and me. We have all sinned and come short of God's glory. We have all "missed the mark" (the literal meaning of sin). We have all transgressed the law of God (the Biblical definition of sin). We have done that which we should have not have done, and we have failed to do all we should have done. We have not loved God with all our being, nor have we loved our neighbour as ourselves. We are all as an unclean thing. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. We are members of the rebellious race of Adam and God is set to punish such rebels as we. Furthermore, there are no "venial" sins. The "smallest" of sins deserve eternal punishment in hell. In reality there are no "small" sins. (However, there are some sins that do more harm to our fellows than others, but that is not our point today.)

Secondly, our text tells us that our sins are not hidden from God. Our sins are bright red (figuratively speaking). God's All Seeing Eye sees every sin you have committed and every evil thought you have ever had. Though you may have your sins well concealed from others they are open and naked before Him with Whom we have to do.

Thirdly, the text declares our enmity to God. As different as the pure snow from red blood, are we so far estranged from God. He made us in His Image, and by our sins we have distorted that image. The Fall, our nature, and our practice all have estranged us far from God and put us at enmity with the Thrice Holy God that created us.

Dear Reader, do you feel this awful plague in your soul? Well, here is good news! Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow! The blood of Christ washes away all the sins of those who believe in Him. Though a believer is still a sinner in and of himself, judicially he is, as our text declares, as "white as snow." God sees not the sins of His people, but the righteousness of their Saviour! When God says we shall be as white as snow, He is telling us that He sees no spot in us (Song of Solomon 4:7). There is no sin so great that the blood of Christ cannot wash it away. God's elect are as white as snow through Christ's imputed righteousness and shall stand forever before Him arrayed in their robes of white.

"Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow"!

So, we see our text tells us of the completeness and thoroughness of God's saving grace by the redeeming blood of Christ. Dear Reader, if you have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, you are this very moment white as snow in the eyes of your great God.

Remembering the Just

(Article for publication week of 1-14- AD 2016)

"The memory of the just is blessed" (Proverbs 10:7).

Next Monday, January 18, we in the Sovereign State of Mississippi will honour the memory of one of the most faithful Christians that God has ever saved, General Robert Edward Lee, Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. General Lee was actually born on January 19 (1807), but the legislature several years ago made the Monday nearest his birthday a State holiday so state employees could always have a three day weekend.

General Lee was descended from a long line of honourable men. His father, Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee was an officer in the Revolutionary War and served under George Washington. He also served his home state as governor for several terms. One of his relatives, Francis Lightfoot Lee was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. General Lee married Mary Custis, the great-grand daughter of George Washington. When General Lee said, "all the South has ever wanted is the Old Constitution as bequeathed to us by our forefathers," he was speaking of his own family who had been instrumental in the Founding of the American Republic.

Robert Edward Lee proved himself to be of great character from boyhood. It fell his lot to care for his widowed and invalid mother when only eleven years old. He grew up quick and had no time for play and frivolity. His mother and he were faithful members of the Episcopal Church. Of course in that day the Episcopal Church, especially in Virginia and the South still believed the Bible. The Episcopal Church that Robert E. Lee attended as a boy was the same one that George Washington attended, and was not "high church," but was distinctly Protestant and Puritan in its doctrine and practice. Robert E. Lee finished second in his class at West Point, and never received a single demerit.

General Lee first distinguished himself as a soldier in the Mexican War. General Winfield Scott said that he was the most able soldier in the United States Army, and said he was his own right arm in the Mexican War. General Lee's character and ability caused Abraham Lincoln to offer him the command of the whole Union Army when he made the decision to invade the South. Although Lee knew the odds were great against a Southern Victory, he refused Lincoln's offer. Had he accepted he would have had all this world has to offer- fame, wealth and power. He would no doubt have become president himself. Had he accepted Lincoln's offer the North would have had the most able General alive at that time and the North would have probably defeated the South in a few months. Although his heart was broken by the disunion of the country and the Northern Invasion of the South, he was not a reluctant Confederate. He said, "a union that can only be held together by bayonets has no attraction for me." He accepted defeat humbly and graciously and made many conciliatory statements and gestures after the Surrender. But when the Red Republicans treated the South as conquered provinces during reconstruction, General Lee said to Governor Stockdale of Texas, "Had I foreseen these results of subjugation, I would have preferred to die with my brave men with my sword in my hand." Contrary to some revisionist historians Robert E. Lee was thoroughly committed to the South and our Cause. He finally had to surrender after four years of distinguished service because he was completely surrounded with no food and no ammunition. The principles of just warfare he had learned at West Point dictated that he must surrender when there was no hope of victory and continuing would only mean unnecessary loss of life.

Volumes have been written about this distinguished Hero and his military skill and great character, but it is his Christian Character that I mostly want my children and grandchildren to know of. His labours for the salvation of his men were instrumental in the Great Revival that God sent down on the Confederate Armies in which upwards of 150,000 Southern Soldiers professed faith in Christ. General Lee promoted religion in his army first by his own example. Though a man of sterling character, and (compared to other men, not God's holy standard) practically without fault, his profession was, "I am only a poor sinner, trusting in Christ Alone for salvation." He also promoted piety in his army by issuing orders that only necessary duties be performed on the Sabbath. He was faithful in attendance of worship and preaching and promoted preaching in his Army. The last act of his life was to attend the vestry meeting of his church at which he personally pledged the funds that were lacking for the pastor's salary.

One of the most telling stories of General Lee's Christian Character was when after the War a large insurance company from up north offered him the presidency of their company at a salary of $50,000 a year (that would be equivalent to at least a million dollars a year in today's money). He replied that he could do them no good since he knew nothing of the insurance business. They told him he did not have to do anything, they just wanted his name associated with their company! He replied, "my name is all I have left, and it is not for sale." He chose rather to become president of Washington College and devote the rest of his life to educating the young men of the South. Next to my own father, General Lee is my hero and a man I would like to try to emulate as he followed the Saviour.

A Sinner's New Year's Resolution

(Article for publication week of 1-7- AD 2016)

"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

If you have not made a resolution for the New Year, let me suggest my text as a good one. Our text this week is filled with the sovereign grace of God and bright hope for your future. Here we have a glorious promise that God will pardon and save all who are willing to repent of their sins and flee to the Saviour of Sinners.

Let us consider the text in reverse order and consider first God's call to the wicked to repent. God takes no delight in the death of the wicked. He will certainly punish all those who refuse to repent, but He would rather you repent and be saved.  He is delighted when a poor sinner repents. The angels in heaven rejoice when the wicked forsake their wicked ways and return to God. The saints on earth rejoice when a fellow sinner repents and is brought home to the Father's House. Repentance is the result of the efficacious work of the Holy Spirit, so God delights in Himself as He beholds His grace effectually wrought in a sinner. God commands all men to repent (Acts 17:30) and He grants repentance to His elect (Acts 11:18). Our text calls upon you to repent of your sins and come to God through His Son. Though your sins are as scarlet they shall be white as snow when washed in the blood of the Lamb. There is no sin so small that it does not deserve eternal damnation, but there is no sin so great that it will not be forgiven to those who will truly repent. So why don't you this day resolve to forsake your wicked ways and return to your Creator?

Secondly, I urge you to resolve to seek the Lord while He may be found. Seek Him while He is near. God is not far away from you this moment. He is omnipresent (that means there is no where He is not), so He is very near everybody as Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Also, He is nearer to those who hear His word. You are reading a message from one of His little messenger boys right now, so He is near you by means of the gospel. But I want you to know He is nearest those to whom He sends His Spirit with all His quickening powers. Dear Reader is that Blessed Spirit dealing with you today? Is your heart broken by sin? Do you look back on the past year with many regrets and deep conviction of sin? Have you tried to impress God by keeping His Law and only met with failure after failure? Have you tried to improve your ways and only gotten worse? Have you tried leaving off this sin, or that sin and only found yourself falling headlong into other and worse sins? Do you really long to be free from sin? Do you desire to be free from sin and not simply escape Hell? More importantly, have you considered the Lovely Saviour and longed to rest in His Bosom? Well, I think the Holy Spirit must be dealing with you and that God is very, very near you. Seek Him while He is near and may be found.

My parting word this week is found in Matthew 7:7. If you will turn and read it you will see that the Dear Saviour has promised that all who truly seek shall surely find. Resolve today to seek the Lord until you find Him. You will find He is faithful and just to forgive and pardon your many sins and save your poor soul. I wish you would call me at 601-927-5070 and tell me when the Lord saves you!

Anno Domini 2016

(Article for publication week of 12-31- AD 2015)

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).

This week we will turn the calendar to mark the beginning of a new year. As we start the year of 2016 it will be good to remember why we number the year as we do. This will be the two thousand and sixteenth year of the reign of King Jesus. The civilised world, also known as "Christendom" reckons the history of the world from the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Christendom" recognises that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true King of the universe. The time before His birth is called "B.C.", i.e, "Before Christ." "A.D." is the abbreviation for "Anno Domini," Latin for "year of our Lord." To be more accurate this is most likely the two thousandth and twenty first year of the Reign of our Lord according to Bishop Ussher's reckoning. Our calendar is probably off by five years. Bishop Ussher's "Annals of the World," first published in 1658 and recently reprinted has been proven to be amazingly accurate. In 1978 astrogeophysicist, Dr. John Eddy, although a proponent of unbiblical  and anti- God evolution made this amazing statement, "However, given some new and unexpected results to the contrary [to the myth of an old universe; columnist's note], and some time for frantic recalculation and theoretical readjustment, I suspect that we could all live with Bishop Ussher's value for the age of the earth and sun [6,020 years, columnist's note]. I don't think we have much in the way of observational evidence in astronomy to conflict with that."! So don't throw away your old copies of the Bible with Bishop Ussher's dates and don't be so quick to accept the lies of unbelieving "scientists" and revisionist "historians" and liberal "theologians."

Not surprisingly, the government controlled education system and its propaganda wing a.k.a the "news media" are doing their best to try to get us to quit using "A.D." and "B.C." to record the history of the world and reckon time. They want us to start using "C.E." (common era) and "B.C.E" (before common era). They hate Christ and everything that reminds them that He is on the Throne and that they will have to face Him in Judgment when they die. Ironically they cannot get away from the historical fact of the advent of Christ into the world because when you say "common era" you still have to acknowledge that the "common era" is dated from the birth of Christ!

So as we enter into this new year let us remember Who our true King is. The Eternal Son of God undertook a great humiliation and became a Man. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the virgin Mary's womb. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the law of God. His obedience is accounted to the record of His people. He died on a cross to put away His people's sins. He went further in His humiliation and was laid in the cold dark grave. But the third day He came forth eternally triumphant over all His foes, and His people's foes. After forty days He ascended back to His rightful throne and the Eternal Father put His crown back on His lovely head. God the Father hath highly exalted Him. People, behold your King! You are now commanded to confess Him and bow to Him as your Lord. Our text says that every tongue "should" confess" and every knee "should" bow. But Romans 14:11 says the Day is coming when every tongue "shall" confess the Lordship of Christ and every knee "shall" bow to Him. You will either bow now in salvation, or you will bow later in damnation! You had better get right with your King.

Christ on a Throne, Not in a Manger

(Article for publication week of 12-24- AD 2015)

"The LORD said unto my Lord, 'sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool' " (Psalm 110:1).

We are in that season when "Christendom"  observes the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no Biblical or historical evidence that our Lord was born on the 25th of December, nor is there any Biblical warrant (much less a command) to have a "holy day" to observe the birth of Christ. The Romish organisation headed by the anti-Christ established the 25th of December as a special "mass" to observe the birth of Christ. They picked the 25th of December because the heathens (including our benighted European ancestors) observed this day as the birth of the sun god. Because of its pagan roots, and the fact that it is called a "mass" (the pope teaches that Christ is "offered" in the mass and that the incantations of the "priests" change the bread and wine into the literal body and blood of Christ), many Christians (including your poor columnist) do not believe we should celebrate this as a "holy day" in the church. Our sincere prayer is that people would celebrate the only true holy day that God has commanded, that is the weekly Sabbath which has been the first day of the week since our Lord's resurrection John 20:19; Acts 20:7). It is most telling of the spiritual condition of our county that people will make more of the "Christ-mass" than the Day that Christ arose from the dead, commanded in the Law (Exodus 20:8-11), and established by God in the creation ordinance (Genesis 2:2-3).

Having said all that, we hasten to add that in the over-ruling Providence of God, many minds will be upon Christ this week. Some will attend Divine Service who have not attended in awhile. Many pastors will preach on the Incarnation this week, and that is always a good thing. Many will attend programs where hymns of praise to Christ will be sung. Handel's Messiah will be performed in many places, and many will attend who never hear the gospel any other time of the year. Many stores (at least in the Bible Belt) still have "Christmas carols" for background music during this season. Many will send and receive "Christmas cards" that will have scriptures on them and other references to the Incarnation and Birth of Christ. The Holy Spirit in His Divine Sovereignty may use such as this to open some elect sinner's heart to believe in Christ to the saving of his or her soul. Others will be left further without excuse and treasure unto themselves greater damnation.

So, my dear kindred, neighbours and friends, I challenge you with my text. I declare unto you that Christ is no longer a babe in a manger, He is a King on His throne! Our Lord quoted our text to the Jews in Matthew 22:44 answering His Own question to one of them, "what think ye of Christ?" That is the question for each of you who have considered the birth of Christ this week- "what think ye of Christ?" Our Lord quoted Psalm 110:1 to declare that He is the Eternal Son of God! "The LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool"! This verse is the covenantal language of the Eternal Father with the Eternal Son. The first "LORD" in the text is in all capitals because it is "Jehovah" , or "Yahweh." The second "Lord" is only with the "L" capitalised, because it is the Hebrew "Adonai." Both Jehovah and Adonai properly mean God. So our text is God the Father speaking to God the Son. And listen what the Father says. He says "sit thou at my right hand until all your enemies are crushed under your holy feet." Christ is not in a manger, He is on a throne at the right hand of the Father. He has finished the work of redemption. He undertook a great humiliation and became a Man (the God-Man) to suffer and die as a substitute for His people. Now He is ruling and reigning from His rightful throne. He is your rightful Monarch to Whom you must submit. It is an awful thing to be an enemy of the One Who was a Babe in Bethlehem but Who is now on the throne of the universe.

None can deny (rationally) that there was a Man named Jesus of Nazereth who lived in Palestine about 2,000 years ago. All the historical data prove the Biblical record (although Bible believers don't need it) that Christ was born and lived and died and that God the Father raised Him from the dead the third day. The civilised world dates its calendar from His Birth. The question for you my friend is whether you will bow to Him now and worship Him, or will you be crushed under the feet of His terrible judgment? I urge you to lay down your arms of rebellion and bow to your rightful Monarch, the Lord Jesus Christ, or you will be his eternal footstool.

Have You Entered the Gate of Conversion?

(Article for publication week of 12-17- AD 2015)

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able" (Luke 13:24).

The Reader is invited to compare our text with Matthew 7:13-14. For the past couple of weeks we have been focusing on the main theme of these weekly articles-- the narrow way that leads to heaven, which is only entered by the strait gate. Our Lord in parabolic language illustrates for us true conversion (the strait gate), and true perseverance (the narrow way). In order to get to heaven and immortal glory you must walk in the narrow way for it is the only way to heaven. And there is but one way to get into the narrow way and that is by the strait gate of conversion. Most of you are complete strangers to the truth of my text, for you have never been converted.

Note well that our Lord says that conversion is a difficult thing. The archaic word used in our text, "strait," literally means "difficult." Contrary to popular opinion it is not an easy thing for a sinner to get saved. In your day and mine we have been told that if we will just repeat a prayer after the preacher or "soul winner" we will be saved. We hear reports of young people walking the aisle chewing gum and laughing as they "respond" to the appeal of an evangelist in a "youth revival." Such modern day false evangelism is filling the professed church with lost people. Multitudes are headed for hell so fast they are kicking dust in the devil's face because they have been told that it is easy to be saved. Friend if you had an easy time getting saved, you are not saved, you are only deceived. Salvation, conversion, is simple but it is not easy. I wish you would listen to the words of Christ. He said (not this little country preacher) that it is a difficult gate you must get through if you will be saved. Salvation is simply repenting of your sins and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and a little child can do that if he is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Conversion, though simple, is so difficult that no one would ever be saved apart from the sovereign grace of God. By nature you love yourself and your sins and it is foreign to your nature to repent. In fact you will never repent unless the Lord Himself grant you repentance (Acts 11:18). Faith in Christ is simple, yet no one will ever believe in Christ to the saving of his soul until the Lord gives him faith (Ephesians 2:8) for saving faith is a gift of God. You cannot come to Christ by your "free" will. Christ has plainly declared in John 6:44, "no man cometh unto me except the Father who sent Me draw him." It is not only difficult to be saved, it is impossible to be saved without the drawing work of God.

Our Lord says something else here about true conversion that is completely foreign to this generation of Mississippians. He commands us to "strive" to enter in the gate of salvation. The word "strive" in our English translation is from the Greek work "agonizomai" from which we get our English word "agony." Our Lord is telling us that if we will be saved we must agonize. Dear reader do you know anything of which I speak? Have you ever been in agony of soul, striving to be saved? Or did you just say a little prayer and walk the aisle and join the church? When it pleases God to call an elect sinner from the darkness of this world into the marvelous light of His Son, He brings that poor sinner into distress of soul. I tell you that real conversion is a painful experience. To be under Holy Spirit conviction is an agonizing experience. To see yourself as spiritually bankrupt without a farthing to pay is a distressing thing. To have you eyes opened to the truth that God is thrice holy and I am so unholy and unclean that I despair of ever being saved is a most disturbing experience. To try to pray and feel like I cannot pray because my heart is so cold and hard and wicked, why this is agony of soul! To want to repent, and not be able to repent, this is soul agony. Dear reader do you know anything of which I write? Have you ever agonized in your soul because of your lost and ruined state? Have you ever lost sleep at night fearing that you were too sinful for a holy and just God to save you?

Now this is a little of what our Lord speaks when he says that true conversion is difficult and painful. But I close with a word of comfort and cheer for the chief of sinners. Christ came to save sinners! If you are in agony of soul because you have felt your lost and ruined state then Christ says to you, "come unto me"! Though you your sins are as scarlet, ye shall be as white as snow by the blood of the Lamb. In the words of John Newton, "I know two things, I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Saviour. If grace has taught your heart to fear, grace shall also relieve your fears. May the Lord grant you peace in believing in the Lord Jesus Christ this very day is my prayer for each of my readers.

Have You Entered the Narrow Way?

(Article for publication week of December 10, AD 2015)

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

Dear reader, are you in the narrow way that leads to life, or are you in the broad way that leads to destruction? And if you claim to be in the narrow way, I ask you, "how did you get in?" Did you enter in by the strait (difficult) gate of conversion? I ask you not if you have accepted Jesus, but I ask you, " are you in the narrow way, and did you get in by the strait gate?"

Now, our text makes it plain that not everyone is saved. Regardless of men's vain imaginings, there are but few (comparatively speaking) that are saved. There are few that have been converted and that are in the way of holiness and perseverance that leads to heaven and immortal glory, but there are many that are in the broad way that leads to hell. Now let's bring it home. There are few here in Simpson County that are saved. The vast majority of you are unsaved. Now, those of you who are living immoral lives, we know are unsaved (I Corinthians 6: 9&10). And those of you who are in unbelief, we know you are unsaved (Mark 16:16). Those of you who will not publicly profess the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that you also are unsaved (Matthew 10: 32&33). But there are multitudes of you who have a profession who do not possess Christ and you are also unsaved. Some of you are going to live and die in religion, and still end up in hell. You will find yourself among those of whom our Lord speaks in Matthew 7:21-23. I fear that many of you preachers are in this group. You see the way that leads to hell is broad enough to include the openly profane, the spiritually indifferent, and the lost church member. And the devil doesn't care how he brings you down to hell with him as long as he keeps you away from Christ. Sin is keeping some of you from Christ, and self righteousness is keeping others from Christ, but either way if you are not in Christ, you will be lost forever. Dear reader, I ask you to quit living in a make believe world and wake up to the reality that you are either in the narrow way of salvation, or you are in the broad way of eternal damnation.

Now there are many of you who imagine yourself to be in the narrow way, so now I want to probe the recesses of your soul and ask you plainly, "did you enter in by the strait gate?" Be sure my friend if you have not entered in the strait gate you are not in the narrow way. So what is this "strait" gate. Why, it is the gate of conversion. There must be an entering in to salvation by the one door that only the Triune God can open. That door is Christ Himself as the Great Shepherd sweetly says in John 10:9. True conversion is repenting of your sins and receiving Christ as your Lord and Saviour. It is a turning from your idols to serve the true and living God (I Thessalonians 1:9). It is a surrender of yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to be converted you have to throw down your shotgun that you have pointed at God. Every unconverted sinner, spiritually has his shotgun pointed  at God and refuses to be ruled by Him choosing rather to be a law unto himself and have his own way. Every unconverted sinner is singing the theme of song of hell in his mind, "I did it my way"! That is the reason I know most of you are in reality unsaved because you do not care what God has said in His word, you are determined to do what you want to do instead of what God commands you to do.

I can hear some of you protesting, "I thought salvation was simple"! You are right. Salvation is simply repenting of your sins and believing in Christ and that is so simple a little child can be saved. Salvation is so simple an illiterate person can be saved. Salvation is so simple a retarded person can be saved. But listen friends and neighbours and kindred, simplicity and ease are not the same. Repentance and faith are simple but they are against your fallen nature. You are dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1) and you cannot come to Christ unless God draws you (John 6:44), and you will not come to Christ and be saved because you are natural born rebel (John 5:40). So Christ says the gate that opens to salvation is entered with difficulty, and such difficulty that you will never enter in until the Holy Spirit regenerates you and draws you in.

Dear reader, have you entered in by the strait gate? Some of you have "settled down", but that is not conversion. Some of you have become quite respectable. Some of you have been religious all your life, but you have never entered in at the strait gate. Some of you have embraced Calvinism, but you have not entered in at the strait gate and so when you get to hell you will be as sound as a silver dollar. II Corinthians 13:5 commands us to examine ourselves whether we be in the faith. I beseech you and urge you today to examine yourself if you are really in the narrow way, and if you entered the narrow way by the difficult gate of conversion.

Are You in the Narrow Way?

 (Article for publication week of 12-3- AD 2015)

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

This week we call you back to the main theme of these weekly articles- pointing sinners to the gate of salvation by which we enter into the road that leads to heaven and eternal life. We do not confine ourselves to evangelistic themes in this column. We write much on the way saved people are supposed to live, and we often address matters of concern in church, family and commonwealth. But our main purpose is to call sinners to repentance and show you the way of salvation that is in Christ Alone. We share the sentiment of the periodical "The Free Grace Broadcaster", edited by our dear friend and brother in Christ, Elder Jeff Pollard, which is to "humble the pride of man, and exalt the glory of Christ." Matthew 7:13-14 is the foundation of our weekly columns, for in this text we have illustrated for us the doctrines of true perseverance and holiness (the only way to heaven), and true conversion, illustrated by the strait (i.e. difficult) gate.

We are thankful for this opportunity to publish the gospel to our friends, relatives and neighbours through our local paper. Quite frequently some of our readers will tell us they read the Narrow Way and appreciate the articles, and my question is always, "well, are you in the narrow way?" Some affirm they are, but if you push for details, they are quite speechless. Others say they "hope" they are. My prayer for each of you is that you may press through the difficult gate into the narrow way and be saved. I have invited some of you to my home so I can tell you how to be saved. And of course you are all welcome to come hear me preach so I can tell you more of these things. But the fact is most of you are not in the narrow way that leads to heaven, you are in the broad way that leads to hell.

Now this is the truth of my text- the vast majority of people, including most Simpson Countians are on the high road to hell. Some of you are close to the gate, but you never have entered in. Some of you have settled down in the City of Morality, and you are quite at ease. God lets you sleep well at night; you have plenty of money in the bank; you have a nice family; you have a respectable name; some of you even attend church, or even belong to the church; but yet you remain unconverted. Some of you made a "decision" when you were in junior high, and you were a "good" boy for a little while, but you soon went back to the world. When you were in high school and college you were a drunk and a fornicator and a general hell raiser, all the while your name was on the "church roll." But then you got a good job, settled down , got married and had children. You got back in church and even got active. When somebody asks you if you are saved you respond quite confidently in the affirmative, but deep down inside where nobody goes but you and God, you feel terribly uneasy. If you are pressed for details about when you were saved, you will reply, "well, I got saved when I was twelve years old back at the old 'home church', but I strayed away and didn't live for the Lord for a long time, but then I did like the prodigal son and came back to the Lord and  now I am serving Him. I can see the faces of scores of you out there that are in this boat. YOU ARE NOT SAVED! You never got through the gate of conversion. You know nothing of Holy Ghost conviction, nor of genuine repentance, nor of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is just a name to you of Someone that you do not know, and my friend, if you do not know Christ by experience, you are not saved, for eternal life is to know Christ, not just to know about Him (John 17:3). I can hear some of you protesting, "Brother Floyd, you are just trying to scare me and make me doubt my salvation." Well, that is a fact for most of you have no salvation to doubt. And I do hope the Holy Spirit will teach you to fear Him Who is able to destroy you both soul and body in hell! Friends and neighbours, are you in the narrow way?

In Everything Give Thanks

(Article for publication week of 11-26-2015 AD)

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thessalonians 5:18).

Dear reader, do you ever think much about what is the Lord's will for you?  Well, you may know God's will for you without any mystical revelation or dream, for the Holy Scriptures tell us what is the will of God for each of us. Our text tells us it is God's will for you and I to be giving Him thanks in everything. Truly, everyone of us have much for which to be thankful.

First of all, I will point out that thanksgiving presupposes God. Thanksgiving presupposes there is a God to Whom we should be thankful. We do not have to prove the existence of God for every man knows there is a God. The image of God is stamped upon us, and we are inwardly aware that He is there through the conscience He has put in us. His signature is upon all His creation, and everywhere we look He is there. Each of us knows innately that we were created by God and we owe Him our worship and thanksgiving.

Secondly, let us observe that thanksgiving is a happy duty. If you want to be happy, I would urge you to make it your daily and continual business to be always thanking God. Giving thanks will dispel gloom and despair. It has been my observation and personal experience that those who have true joy and peace are those who recognise that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17). I guarantee you it will lift your spirits tremendously to simply count your blessings and thank our Great God for every one of them. When we start counting our blessings we always find they are more numerous than we can count, and as we  "praise God from Whom all blessings flow", we think of more and more for which to thank Him.

Thirdly, note well that we are to be thanking God in everything. If you are a believer, the first thing for which  you will generally be thanking God is your salvation. You will be thanking God for loving you with an everlasting love. You will be thanking Christ for His glorious atoning death that put away your sins. You will be thanking God the Father for raising HIs Eternal Son from the grave and seating Him at His Own right hand where He intercedes for us. You will be thanking the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity for regenerating, converting and sanctifying you. But then you will be thanking God for all your natural blessings as well. The believer is well aware that every piece of food and every drop of water is from His Great God.

But some true and tried saint may ask, "how can I give thanks in everything? I know I am blessed above measure, as you have reminded me, but you don't know about all my troubles and sorrows. How can I give thanks in my sufferings?" Well, first of all I will remind you of God's supreme promise in Romans 8:28 to work all things for your eternal good. Secondly, I will present for your consideration that you can thank God it is no worse than it is. And thirdly, I will remind you that it will be better. No matter how bad it gets in this life, that is as bad as it will ever be for a believer. But no matter how good it gets for an unsaved man, that is as good as it will ever be. Therefore, in everything, give thanks.

Still Not Saved

(Article for publication week of 11-19-2015)

"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jeremiah 8:20).

What an awful condition- not saved! My text exposes at least two categories of my readers. First there are many of you who are not saved, but you think you are. You have had your wounds slightly healed. You made a little profession, or walked an aisle or did something religious, but you have had no saving change worked in you by the Holy Spirit, nor do you have any experimental knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though you are quite comfortable and at peace, you have a false peace and are after all, unsaved. Then there are a few of you who know you are not saved. You have sat under the gospel; you have read the Narrow Way; you have talked of the things of the Lord with your believing friends and relatives; yet you are unsaved. What an awful thing to be unsaved! You are under the power of darkness and outside the kingdom of Christ. If you die today you will be cast down to hell!

Now my dear unsaved reader, I pose a question for you. Why are you not saved? Why do you remain on the road to eternal perdition? Well, it is not because you have not been warned. If this is the first time you have ever read the Narrow Way, you have already read enough to be warned of the wrath to come. Some of you have been reading the Narrow Way a long time and you have been warned over and over. There are a few of you who have sat under a faithful ministry (for there are still a few faithful ministers here and there even in this benighted day)and you have been warned of your dangerous situation many times. Most of you cannot say you are unsaved because you have not heard of Christ and His saving power. Nor are you unsaved because of any unwillingness in Christ to save you. The dear Saviour has sweetly proclaimed, "him that cometh to me I will in  no wise cast out," and "come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Christ is willing to save all who will repent and come to Him by faith. Nor are you unsaved because your case is too hard for the Saviour. He is mighty to save and has saved, and still saves the vilest of the vile. Nor are you unsaved because God's people have not prayed for you. There is some unsaved child out there whose parents wet their pillow with tears for you every night. There are many of you out there that I pray for regularly. The fact is my dear unsaved reader, you are not saved, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SAVED! You are not saved because you love your sins more than Christ. You are not saved because you are unwilling to renounce your righteousness and receive the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. You are unsaved because you do not want to be holy. You are unsaved because you love the world and the things of the world and you are unwilling to part with the world. When God casts you down into the everlasting fires of hell where the fire is not quenched and the worm dies not, it will be your own fault! All the blame will lie at your unsaved feet because you have refused Christ and His tender mercies.

Now I have another question for you- will you ever be saved? All I can tell you is that it looks mighty bad for some of you. You had rather hold on to false profession than admit you have been deceiving yourself and the Church all these years. The scriptures do not give us much reason to hope for those who like Felix are waiting for a more convenient day. The scriptures do not give us much reason to hope for those who like Agrippa are "almost persuaded." If you have wasted all the favours already shown to you, why do you suppose that more gospel labour will profit you? Some of you were raised in a Christian home and you have left home unsaved and by your actions have publicly declared against your parents and the Saviour they love. Why do you think you will ever be saved? Well, only the Lord knoweth infallibly if you will ever be saved, but I urge you now to fall on your knees and repent of your sins and cry out to the Saviour and beg Him to save you. He might do it.

Christians and the Confederate Flag - Part 3

(Article for publication week of 11-12- AD 2015)

"Honour thy father and thy mother:  that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exodus 20:12).

Last week we showed that Christians ought to support and fly the Mississippi Flag and the Confederate Flag which is emblazoned upon its ensign, because our Flag represents resistance to tyranny. Tyranny is a wicked sin. It is a violation of the fifth commandment. "The fifth commandment requires the preserving the honour, and performing the duties belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals" (Spurgeon's Catechism, Q. and A. #53). The Westminster Larger Catechism elaborates showing us that the fifth commandment includes the honour of lawful authority of parents, church officers and magistrates. The same commandment requires that those in the position of a superior are to use their authority lawfully as commanded by God. When civil rulers become tyrants, and usurp the law, they are to be resisted. See these scriptures: Daniel 3:18; Daniel 6:10; 2 Kings 11:1-21; Acts 5:29. Good Samuel Rutherford worked these things out theologically in a book entitled "Lex Rex"; i.e. "The Law is King." Such works as this had a great impact upon the founding of America. The original thirteen States acted upon the principle that resistance to tyranny is obedience to God when they seceded from Great Britain. Our Southern Fathers acted upon these same principles when they seceded from the tyrannical government in Washington, D.C. and formed the Confederate States of America. That federal government is a thousand times more tyrannical and intrusive than it was in 1860, proving that the South was indeed right. So this is the first reason we should support our old Flag, because it represent opposition to tyranny. By flying our Flag we are telling the wicked government in Washington, D.C. that we oppose your tyrannical edicts like "legalising" baby murder and sodomy.

But the second reason we should support our flag is for the honour of our ancestors. Our Southern Forefathers were honourable people. Note well, that this is a very general statement about the people of the Confederates States of America. I am not suggesting that all our forefathers were Christians-- far from it. What I am saying is that the South was led by Christians. Politically the South was led by Jefferson Davis, a devout Christian. Militarily, the South was led by men like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, two of the most devout Christians that have ever been saved by grace. The South was a bastion of orthodox Christianity, as opposed to the North that was increasingly being influenced by liberalism, "higher criticism," and Unitarianism. During the War the churches and ministers of the South were active in preaching the gospel and promoting piety among the troops. The Lord blessed their labours by sending down a true revival in which upwards of 50,000 Confederate soldiers professed to have found peace and joy in believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Great Revival has been well documented in books like "Christ in the Camp" by Pastor J.W. Jones, one of the Baptist preachers who laboured among the Confederate Soldiers. If you will take time to read books like the late Honourable Bob Evans's "The Sixteenth Mississippi Regiment", you will see how the people of the South were a people greatly influenced by the truth of scripture. The South still is known as the "Bible Belt" because of the influence of our forefathers.

Men like my great-great grandfather, Elisha Edwards deserve to be honoured. He is representative to a great degree of the average Confederate soldier. Grandpa Edwards was not a plantation owner, and as far as we know owned no slaves. He was a small farmer like the vast majority of the Confederate soldiers. He joined the Lowery Rifles when he was sixteen years old. He took a mini ball in the stomach at Shiloh, but the Lord spared his life and he went on to fight for the South until the very end. Most of you have ancestors like my great-great-grandfather. They deserve to be honoured because they fought to defend their homeland from a foreign invader. I say to take down our old flag is nothing less than a violation of the fifth commandment that requires us to honour our Fathers and our Mothers. Let us not be guilty of dishonouring our forefathers who left us a great legacy.