Christ - The Sun of Righteousness

The book, 'Christ, the Sun of Righteousness', now has its own website. Similar in design to The Gospel of God this new website presents each chapter of the book in an easily accessible and readable format online, grouped under various categories, along with search facilities.

See: Christ - The Sun of Righteousness

Why do the heathen rage?

We live in days of great social change. Rapid change. Hardly a month seems to pass when some new law isn’t passed, or some movement appears to triumph in a further attempt to overthrow God’s order. In the last 50 years we’ve seen great changes in the fickle populace’s thinking regarding social and class order, the roles of the sexes, the place of marriage and the family in society, among many other things.

The world hails such changes as a ‘social revolution’. It delights in its supposedly new-found freedom and liberty. It prides itself in seemingly having overthrown the shackles of traditional, ‘fundamentalist’ values. With glee a ‘new order’, full of tolerance and freedom is greeted whilst discrimination of any kind is decried. Yet, in bemused puzzlement, the same champions of freedom scratch their heads wondering why homes break up, crime increases, companies collapse, discontent reigns, and misery mounts and children on the streets take up knives to murder one another.

Yet, undeterred, the wise leaders of our day, with increasing abandon, march on in their relentless attempts to break down every hurdle which stands in their way to social Utopia. And what really stands in their way? What hurdle proves the most irritating, the most vexing? Why, religion of course. And the Christian religion in general. And true Biblical Christianity in particular. With its clear declaration of Truth, and its absolute definitions of right and wrong, such a message is not only irritating, but an increasing source of rage and enmity to those who would seek to break its bands asunder. We live in days where opposition to the Truth has rarely been sounded louder. Those who despise the word and the truth of God seem to be playing a very loud tune all around us. And as their leaders play their pipes, millions of happy ‘children’, like bemused lemmings, gladly follow in their trail.

Set against such a tidal wave of thinking, of ever-changing public opinion, is the apparent decline in numbers of those attending professing Christian places of worship. Those who do are either in the minority, gathered with but a few, or they are among those who would continue to meet in larger congregations but in order to maintain their numbers have set aside the truth of the Bible and constantly modify their message in order to adapt to the liberal thinking of the world around them. We read of so-called churches and denominations debating the un-debatable. They pose questions which should never have been asked, based upon premises which should never have been set. They ponder the question of women ‘priests’ and of homosexual ‘clergy’. They set ‘modernists’ against ‘traditonalists’. And they seek each and every way to finding a unity with other ‘faiths’…. But having set aside the word of God, and ceased to take its message seriously, the leaders of such churches then wonder why the world has long-ceased to take them seriously.

Of course observing such changes can bring much grief to the hearts of those who love God and His word. To those who have been delivered from the darkness of this world, and the blindness of unbelief, from the depravity of the fallen heart of man, and the bondage of sin, to walk in a new and living way. Those who have been born again of God, having heard the Gospel of their salvation by Jesus Christ, knowing the forgiveness of sins, the hope of everlasting life and peace with God, those who now hate the evil in which they once indulged and love the righteousness of God as revealed in the Gospel. These will often grieve over the state of the professing church around them, and the folly of the nations in our day. For what foolishness is done in the name of Christ in the ‘churches’! And what little effect the testimony of such apostate churches seems to have in turning the tide of the times.

Yet, whilst it may well appear that the wicked prosper on every side and the righteous man faileth…. The truth is anything but! God has an answer and His answer has never changed. Having granted the people freedom to turn aside to their own ways, having given them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28), God patiently sits upon His throne and watches as the world moves according to His eternal decrees and purposes. As time rolls incessantly towards that great day of the Lord when He will judge the world in righteousness, towards that day “when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” Romans 2:16. That day, when, without respect to persons God will…

“Render to every man according to his deeds:
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil” Romans 2:6-9

Perhaps that day is not far off, perhaps it is many years away. But whether near, or whether far off, and whether the people continue to rage against the truth, or whether they receive the truth, the fact remains that nothing occurs in heaven or on earth which is outside of God’s will, not one of his purposes is thwarted, and not one of those for whom He gave His own Son as a sacrifice for sin in order to save them from death, and the deceits and delusions of this present world, will ever be lost. For God continues to declare the same glorious message of Salvation which He has done from the beginning of time. The message of Christ Crucified, the Gospel of God. The message of His grace towards sinners – the power of God unto salvation.

So, is there really a cause for the Christian to be discouraged or dismayed? Not at all – his victory is assured – assured – in Christ. For God reigns in righteousness by Jesus Christ over all His creation. May God give His people grace to rest in Him and His salvation. As we look upon our changing times and hear the empty cries and celebrations of those who vainly set their wills against God, rightly may we ask, with the words of the 2nd Psalm:

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”

Free Books!

We are pleased to announce that our three publications (produced as printed books through "Grace and Truth Online Publications") are now available for free online as eBooks, courtesy of Grace-eBooks who have added them to their online collection.

The full details of each book (as sent out by Grace-eBooks) is shown below.

Of course, all three books are still also available in print for those who would prefer to read 'off-line'. They are priced 'at-cost' to make them as widely obtainabled as possible.... alas paper and ink doesn't come free! For more details see Grace and Truth Online Publications
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The Following Books/Authors

Have Been Added or Updated

The Fountain of Life
Collected Writings of William Huntington S.S.

Produced, and Published by
Grace and Truth Online Publications
Honiton, Devon, England

This work largely comprises six addresses taken from the works of William Huntington.


Sovereign Grace
PAST AND PRESENT
Collected Sermons and Writings
Edited by Ian Potts
Produced and Published by
Grace and Truth Online Publications
Honiton, Devon, England

This work comprises sermons and articles by preachers of God's Gospel of Free and Sovereign Grace.

Some of these writers lived and preached several hundred years ago. Some are here today, faithfully proclaiming the message which God has given them to preach - of God's grace towards sinners. The message preached hasn't changed, for the Gospel - and the One it concerns - hasn't changed. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Authors of the works contained in this volume:
Sovereign Grace – From The Past
William Tiptaft
Tobias Crisp
William Huntington S.S.
J.C. Philpot
John Kershaw
Robert Murray M'Cheyne
James Bourne
Eli Ashdown
Francis Covell
John Vinall
John Warburton

Sovereign Grace – From The Present

Benjamin A. Ramsbottom
Don Fortner
Henry Mahan
Don Bell
Gary Shepard
Todd Nibert
Peter L. Meney
Tom Harding


Christ, the Sun of Righteousness
By Ian Potts
Produced and Published by
Grace and Truth Online Publications
Honiton, Devon, England

This work largely comprises chapters based upon a number of articles which were originally published on the website “Grace and Truth Online.” A couple of the articles have also appeared in print in the pages of “New Focus” magazine.

My intention in this volume is to set forth some pictures of Christ as He is revealed throughout the scriptures. The whole message of the Bible regards the person and the work of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. He is to be found on every page of Holy Writ. He is the sum and substance of God’s message to lost mankind, He is the One through whom God reconciles sinners to Himself, He is the One through whom God reveals Himself to man, He is the One in whom all the blessings of God to His people are revealed. The Gospel of God concerns His Son, Jesus Christ, and the message of the Bible is one of the Salvation of sinners through Christ, by Free and Sovereign Grace. Yes, Christ is God’s message to man, so when we read the scriptures we look for Him.
Ian Potts

Thanks go to
Grace and Truth Online Publications for their gracious permission to post these eBook volumes.

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The Body of Moses

At our last Monday meeting in Honiton we heard a message by Don Fortner on the error of Balaam, from the book of Jude.

In reading Jude, a question was asked at the meeting about the meaning of 'the body of Moses' in verse 9. How encouraging then to come across the following message preached by Don Fortner on the Friday following, at the conference in Lantana. God's timing is always perfect.

For the answer to the question, have a listen to 'Michael, Satan and the body of Moses' (Jude 9) by Don Fortner.

Liverpool, Cambridge, Bournemouth, Egglesburn, Northampton, Welywn, Knebworth, Honiton, South London...

What do these places have in common? Liverpool, Cambridge, Bournemouth, Egglesburn, Northampton, Welwyn Garden City, Knebworth, Honiton, South London...?

Well, like much of our country today they are full of churches of one form of another. Baptists, Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics, Evangelicals, and Charismatics. Much religion, but little of the Gospel.

Yet these places have something else far more encouraging in common. There are those in the area who have a love for the truth, a love for free grace, a love for that Gospel preached in the beginning, the "faith which was once delivered unto the saints" Jude 1:3.

Do you?

Do you love the preaching of Christ in the Gospel? Do you love the fellowship of God's people in one company?

If you do, drop me a line at ianpotts@graceandtruthonline.com. Perhaps there are those in your area who love the same Gospel you do.

But whether we gather in a large company, or are but one or two, we thank God for that food which He grants His people - that Bread of Life given to us in His Gospel. Have a listen to that Gospel in the messages on Where is Truth? and Free Grace Radio, or have a listen to this message by Chris Cunningham:

'Children of the Free' Galatians 4:21-31

The Lord's Supper

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

At last night's meeting in Honiton we remembered the death of our Lord Jesus Christ by partaking of the bread and the wine in the Lord's Supper.

Before so doing we listened to the following message by Don Fortner which is highly recommended because of the truth it sets forth regarding what is pictured by the Lord's Supper: What's The Meaning of This?

Paul instructs the Corinthian church on the correct approach to the Lord's Supper in chapter 11 of First Corinthians, the same chapter in which he also sets before us the glorious truth of the Headship of Christ over His church. Peter Ditzel has written a couple of very helpful articles on both subjects which he has on his website. They are:-

The Elements of the Lord's Supper

The Headcovering

"O GIVE thanks unto the LORD: for he is good"

Having returned home briefly, only to have to re-enter hospital again last week, we rejoiced to hear that Pastor Don Fortner of Danville, Kentucky, has now returned home again, feeling much better than he has done for the last six weeks, since first being diagnosed with heart trouble.

Following his return home, Pastor Fortner was even enabled to preach again both last Sunday and on Tuesday. We praise God for His goodness in bringing him through this recent set-back, and pray that he may now be back on the proper road to recovery.

May the LORD be pleased to use our Brother in the coming days to once again, boldly “declare the works of the LORD” (Psalm 118:16) for the good of His people, for “blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD”.


Repeated below is the content of a message sent out by Don Fortner as an update on his recent situation.


Dear Friends,

Thank you for your notes. Please forgive my brevity and forgive me for sending this to you as a group, rather than writing personally to each of you, but after almost six weeks in the hospital I have several hundred pieces of correspondence that must be answered. Here is a brief, mater-of-fact synopsis of my recent illness. Please pass it along to any who are interested.

April 6 (2:00 A.M.) checked into hospital.
April 9 discovered that I had a defective aorta valve from birth.
The defect had caused such calcification that I was getting less than 25 % blood flow through my heart. -- No other heart disease or damage except for slight blockage in one artery and damage to electrical impulses caused by the birth defect.
Received a pace-maker to get my heart's rhythm in control.
Came home and preached April 13, 15 and 20.
April 21 received a valve replacement.
April 23 reaction to medication shut down liver and kidneys, causing 5 days of horror.
May 9 returned home.
Attended services here May 11.
May 13 (6:30 A.M.) taken back to hospital by ambulance after loosing blood throughout the night.
After receiving 6 units of blood, it was discovered that the shock to my system from surgery caused me to develop ulcers. The coumadin caused one ulcer to bleed profusely.
Returned home Friday May 16, preached here on Sunday and plan to preach tonight.
Gaining strength daily.

It appears that the Lord may yet have a work for me to do. Thank you, my friends, for your love and care, and for your continual intercessions before our Father's throne on my behalf. Shelby and I cannot adequately express our hearts' gratitude to our God for you.

Don