December, 2017
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
MEETING LOCATION
251 Green Lane
Ewing, NJ, 08368
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
MAILING ADDRESS:
7 Birch Street
Pennington, NJ, 08538
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service
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NURSERY
We have a nursery equipped with a
digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children
four and under.
All
articles by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: The videos are now listed as individual
sermons, as well as full services—click here.
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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERBS
Proverbs 10: 16: The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the
fruit of the wicked to sin.
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Matters of no consequence to the
glory of God, the needs of immortal souls, or the salvation of God’s elect
should never divide God’s elect. Pastor Don Fortner
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The Gospel
The Gospel has nothing to do with
what you believe or do not believe about creation, Israel, prophecy, the
church, or church order. The Gospel is all about the person and work of our
Lord Jesus Christ. To believe the Gospel is to believe that Jesus of Nazareth
is the Christ of God, that the Lord Jesus actually accomplished all that the
prophets of the Old Testament said Christ must accomplish. Pastor Don Fortner
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The original does not copy a counterfeit.
As the original which Christ has created in his righteousness and governs by
his gospel, our all-powerful Head keeps his church from copying the corrupt
practices of the many man-made corporations in this world who counterfeit
themselves as churches of God.
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Behold believer there is Great comfort
and solace found in our God. Great joy is found in the truth that Christ
is my savior redeemer and friend. Great hope is found in the Holy Spirit
who has quickened us that he will also keep us in Christ firm to the end no
matter our troubles and pains in this life. (2 Timothy 2:11-13) Therefore
let not thy soul be troubled nor let thy faith fail but encourage yourself in
Jesus Christ who is All our Salvation. Pastor Fred Evans
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ATTAINING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
Romans 9: 30: What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not
after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness
which is of faith. 31: But Israel, which followed after the law of
righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32: Wherefore?
Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.
For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33: As it is written, Behold, I lay
in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him
shall not be ashamed.
Righteousness is a state of moral, legal perfection equal to God and approved
of by God. To enter God’s presence we must be righteous as God. This passage shows
how some sinners attained this righteousness and why some sinners did not
attain this righteousness.
Two Ways, Two Outcomes
The Gentile nations never had the law
which God gave to Israel at Mt. Sinai. Until God sent the gospel, God never
gave the Gentiles any of the advantages he gave to Israel: no revelation from
God, no word from God, no promises from God. They were ungodly, sinful,
spiritually dead idolaters, without God and alienated from God (Eph 2; 12)—not
seeking God, not trying to be righteous before God, only spiritually dead
sinners unworthy of anything but hell and condemnation.
On the other hand, God gave Israel the law at Mt. Sinai, prophets and
Christ even came to them first. But Israel
went to work zealously trying to attain righteousness by keeping the law by their
works and refused to believe on Christ.
The outcome is that the Gentiles
which followed not after righteousness, “have
attained to righteousness.” But
Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, “hath not attained to the law of righteousness.” (Rom 9: 30-31) The
Gentiles attained to righteousness because when God sent them the gospel, they
believed on Christ—“even the
righteousness which is of faith.” Israel did not attain to righteousness
because they sought righteousness by the works of the law and rejected Christ—“they sought it not by faith, but as it were
by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone.”
Believe Unto Righteousness
Christ Jesus is the righteousness of
God. When God gives a sinner faith to believe on Christ then Christ becomes the
end of the believer’s attempts to justify himself by his law-keeping because
the believer is made righteous in Christ by Christ’s works. (Rom 8: 3-5; 10:
1-4) Christ is the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness which every
sinner must have to be accepted of God. We are made righteous by God, by his
Son, by his grace, through God’s gift of faith, not by our works. (Eph 2: 8-9; Rom
10: 5)
May God persuade us that our law-works
never make us righteous. Believe on Christ in your heart and confess him with
your mouth—this is how God has chosen to freely give the righteousness of
Christ to sinners like us. (Rom 10: 8-11)
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CHRIST IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is the
righteousness of God. The Holy Spirit says through Paul, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they
might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom 10: 1-4)
Sinners do not attain righteousness by doing but by submitting to the
Righteousness of God, Christ himself.
Christ is the end of the law for the believer because the believer is
made righteous in Christ. It is because the works of the law, the righteousness
attained by the law, is finished by Christ. “What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his onw Son the in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8: 3-5) Christ is
the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness which every sinner must have to
be accepted of God. We are made righteous by God, by his Son, by his grace,
through God’s gift of faith, not of ourselves. (Eph 2: 8-9)
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RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW
We cannot be saved
by law by doing of our own “For
Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which
doeth those things shall live by them.” (Rom 10: 5) If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ
died for nothing! (Gal. 2:21). If a law could have given us life, then God
would have given us such a law. (Gal 3: 21) All a law can do is set forth
requirements and prescribe penalties for failure. Since we all fell in Adam the
law cannot give us life. We never achieve perfect obedience in this life so we
can never look to law for righteousness, even after we are brought to faith in
Christ. The law has no part whatsoever
in making a sinner the righteousness of God.
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RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF FAITH
There is not some great thing that we
must encounter to believe on Christ. Faith is God’s gift within the heart. “But the righteousness which is of faith
speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?
(that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the
deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The
word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of
faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Rom 10: 6-11)