The free, sovereign grace of God!

(Octavius Winslow, "Christ, Our Righteousness")

"Those He predestined, He also called;
 and those He called, He also justified;
 and those He justified, He also glorified."
    Romans 8:30

The justified sinner stands the closest to God,
of any created being in the universe. Nearer
to the throne of the Eternal, he cannot stand.

What marvelous love!

Who will dare assert that salvation is not,
from first to last—of free, sovereign grace!

Let your eye pierce the veil which falls between
earth and heaven. Behold that shining, worshiping
being, standing so near to the throne of glory,
bathed in the overpowering effulgence of its rays!

Who is he?

He was once a sinner upon earth, the vilest
of his race, the dishonored of his generation,
forsaken by man—and abhorred of God.

But Jesus met him, and divine love drew him, and
sovereign grace rescued, pardoned, and saved him!
And now washed from all his guilt by the blood,
freed from all condemnation by the righteousness
of Christ—he stands before the throne "blameless,"
a "king and a priest unto God." Such is the great
love of Jesus! And all this grace, and all this
glory, and all this bliss—flows from the free,
sovereign grace of God!

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~    

Our featured audio sermon this week is by J. R. Miller.
This is the best sermon on Christian gentleness, which
we have ever read. Must reading—especially for men!
    "A Gentle Heart" (text, 10 pages)
    "A Gentle Heart" (audio, 39 minutes)