Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.01 A Real Rock Of Ages???
I love the old gospel songs, and “Rock Of Ages” is one of my favorites. It was written by Augustus M. Toplady in 1776, and I’d simply like to share its clear gospel message, which has never changed, with you today:
“Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.”
I/we must absolutely come to Jesus with “nothing in my hand”! It is not by our own righteousness that we receive “everlasting life”, but by faith in the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice of Jesus! It is HIS blood that imparts forgiveness of sin, salvation and righteousness to us!
“For he hath made him to be sin
for us,
who knew no sin;
that we might be made
the righteousness
of God
in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus paid the price of our salvation with His own blood, and when we receive Him by faith, God imparts HIS righteousness to us, all because Jesus took on our sin at the cross. Yet to receive Him we must come empty handed to God, trusting in what Jesus did for us, not our own goodness or works that we have done. Paul gives us a clear picture in his message to the young preacher Titus. My pastor reminded me of it yesterday morning in his message, and I thought it a timely reminder to share it with you today.
“Put them in mind to be subject
to principalities and powers,
to obey magistrates,
to be ready to every good work,
2 To speak evil of no man,
to be no brawlers,
but gentle,
shewing all meekness
unto all men.
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish,
disobedient,
deceived,
serving divers lusts
and pleasures,
living in malice
and envy,
hateful,
and hating one another.
4 But after that the kindness
and love of God
our Saviour
toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness
which we have done,
but according to his mercy
he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing
of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us
abundantly
through Jesus Christ
our Saviour;
7 That being justified
by his grace,
we should be made heirs
according to the hope
of eternal life.” Titus 3:1-7
God makes us His children, heirs of “eternal life” “through Jesus Christ our Saviour”! He is our “Rock” of all the ages! The Psalmist pictures this amazing parallel frequently.
“For thou art my rock and my fortress;
therefore for thy name’s sake
lead me,
and guide me.” Psalm 31:2
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee,
when my heart is overwhelmed:
lead me to the rock
that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2
“He only is my rock
and my salvation:
he is my defence;
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation
and my glory:
the rock of my strength,
and my refuge,
is in God.” Psalm 62:6-7
Jesus also uses this analogy of the ‘rock’ to show us that we must depend on HIM, not self! He paints a clear picture of the difference that knowing Him will make! And while we can’t judge where others stand with God, we are to judge ourselves, for Jesus says that His presence in His own will make a difference—not always in the same way, not always in the same time frame for everyone!
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit
is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied
in thy name?
and in thy name
have cast out devils?
and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you:
depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:20-23
Jesus makes it clear that just “saying so” doesn’t make one a child of God—but the person who does “the will of my Father”! It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done”, but by the life-transforming salvation that Jesus’ blood provides; yet Jesus makes it clear that when we are born again we are empowered by His Spirit to do God’s will—and we can, because our house is built on the “Solid Rock”! Even as Paul and James both talk about our life-works reflecting the presence of His Spirit within us—that is the proof of whose we are—not depending on what we say/claim that we ‘are’!
“24 Therefore whosoever
heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man,
which built his house
upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended,
and the floods came,
and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house;
and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that
heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man,
which built his house
upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended,
and the floods came,
and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house;
and it fell:
and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:19-27
Whether it’s in the construction arena or our spiritual life, a solid foundation is essential to a safe, secure and reliable future! And JESUS IS the “Rock of Ages” on whom we can depend! Scripture is replete with references to this very “Rock of Ages”!
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD,
Behold,
I lay in Zion
for a foundation
a stone,
a tried stone,
a precious corner stone,
a sure foundation:
he that believeth
shall not make haste.” Isaiah 28:16
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellowcitizens with the saints,
and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation
of the apostles
and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly
framed together
groweth unto an holy temple
in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are
builded together
for an habitation of God
through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22
“To whom coming,
as unto a living stone,
disallowed indeed of men,
but chosen of God,
and precious,
5 Ye also,
as lively stones,
are built up a spiritual house,
an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God
by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
Behold, I lay in Sion
a chief corner stone,
elect,
precious:
and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe
he is precious:
but unto them which be disobedient,
the stone
which the builders disallowed,
the same
is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offence,
even to them which stumble
at the word,
being disobedient:
whereunto also they were appointed.” 1 Peter 2:4-8
My simple question for each of us is, “Have you come to the Rock of Ages for salvation, by repentance and faith in Jesus, or will you be crushed when you face Him?” While it may seem over-simplistic, the truth is that we can believe and bow before HIM now as Lord and Savior, or we will bow before HIM as judge—with no opportunity to accept the saving grace He is offering you today!
“And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name
which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of things in heaven,
and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue
should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11
The question isn’t ‘will you bow?’! The question is ‘when?’ will you bow before Him; now to receive His saving grace, or will you bow before Him at the Great White Throne with no recourse and no excuse!
“For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven
against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness
of men,
who hold the truth
in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God
is manifest in them;
for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world
are clearly seen,
being understood
by the things that are made,
even his eternal power
and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse:” Romans 1:18-20.
God hasn’t changed, nor will He ever change—He “is love” and He has offered you salvation in HIS Son, Jesus; but if you choose to reject Him, there is a day of reckoning coming. While I know this isn’t a very popular truth, it is truth, and I must share it—I pray that you will receive it with all the love that God has intended, as a warning to avoid the judgment for sin! And I offer this warning, as a friend of mine often says, “in His love and mine”!
“And I saw a great white throne,
and him that sat on it,
from whose face the earth and the heaven
fled away;
and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead,
small
and great,
stand before God;
and the books were opened:
and another book was opened,
which is the book of life:
and the dead were judged
out of those things which were written
in the books,
according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it;
and death
and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them:
and they were judged
every man
according to their works.
14 And death and hell
were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
Check out your foundation—the storms will come in this life, and judgment will come for all, and the ‘rock’ or the ‘sand’ will be manifest. Are you building on “The Rock of Ages”? Or are you building on the ‘sinking sand’? The choice is yours, but there is a test coming!
Amen and Amen!
Bible Ballistics 