Call From UK

I am delighted that the excerpts from James Osbourn's "The Lawful Captive Delivered" is being read and enjoyed. Could the person from The United Kingdom who left a message email me at jameytucker@aol.com or try calling me again. I would enjoy the correspondence!

"The Lawful Captive Delivered" p 72

James Osbourn labored under the conviction of sin for many months and attempted to appease God's wrath by keeping the law of God, but to no avail. Again, his testimony is a reminder of what God's word expresses to us; that righteousness cannot come by our efforts to keep the law. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20). The sweetness of a sinner that confides in Christ's righteousness and finds complete and perfect salvation cannot be properly described. But the sweetness is delightful and refreshing to the soul. Below is Osbourn's account of trusting in Christ's righteousness for justification.

"I now saw so much beauty and worth in Christ and the gospel, as no man can see, or feel, or know anything of, but by the Spirit of the living God. It was more than mere motion or whim, or a simple flight of the imagination. And it was more than a dream or an idle fancy, or the animal passions roused. It also was more, much more, than a false light, or a fantastical faith, or an historical faith, or a delusive impression. Yes, it was more, and a vast deal more, than what any carnal professor, or hypocrite, or impostor, as such, ever saw, or felt, or found, or tasted, or handled, for it was Christ in me the hope of glory, Col. 1:27."

"The Lawful Captive Delivered" pp 34, 35

James Osbourn, in his autobiography, detailed how he labored exceedingly to cleanse his heart before God and merit God's favor through his own righteousness. He labored legalistically until he gave His soul into the hands of the great Physician. He would later write a poem describing his conversion which I share with you in part:

"At length the dear Savior of sinners appear'd,
With balm in his hand for my smart;
And from me he banish'd the evils I fear'd,
And bound up the wound in my heart.

And here I obtain'd a divorce from the law,
And freedom from terror and dread;
And in the clear light of the gospel I saw
My soul unto Jesus was wed.

And to me this Jesus was lovely and sweet,
And brighter by far than the sun;
And gladly I bow'd myself down at his feet,
And thank'd him for what he had done.

And while was there I discover'd that grace
Was then at my humble request;
For to me he said, with a smile in his face,
'My bosom's the place of thy rest.

And here thou in safety may take thy repose,
And feast on ineffable love;
Though this is a favour I grant but to those
Who're born unto me from above.'"

"The Lawful Captive Delivered" pp. 28, 29

Returning to James Osbourn's autobiography, "A Lawful Captive Delivered," I want to examine a few of his thoughts on his experience in conversion. In part II Brother Osbourn related how he was convicted of sin and how he tried to earn God's favor with a pharisaical spirit. Naturally, the peace he experienced was temporary and deceptive and was not the production of God's Spirit (Isaiah 54:13). However, in God's time James Osbourn would experience the freedom that is found in Christ alone. As a side not, have you noticed how often christians in days past would undergo great struggles with sin's conviction and prolonged attempts to secure their own righteousness, before God mercifully revealed His grace in Christ. Powerful and radical conversions were often seen in the lives of God's people. May God be pleased to so work in our lives and in our time is my prayer!

"I may well wonder at the goodness of the Lord to me in bringing me out of so sad a condition as then I was in, as there was nothing in me that could have moved him so to act, and yet so he acted towards me; for in his own good time he dispelled from my mind that old covenant mist, and busted my pharisaical bands, and set the Lawful Captive free. Those bands would for ever have kept my soul in bondage, had not the Lord interfered in my behalf, for by them I was tied fast. Yes, I was so completely duped by this self-righteous spirit, that I really thought it was the spirit of the Lord directing me how, and in what way I should proceed so as to obtain peace and rest in this world, and in the end everlasting life; and doubtless this cheat would have proved my overthrow at last, had it not pleased God to break the snare, and to direct me to his dear Son, who 'is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,' Romans 10:4."

The Everlasting Covenant

I began a short series on "The Everlasting Covenant" on Sunday. In reading after Wilhelmus a Brakel I came across this quote that blessed my soul. The reason I especially enjoy this reformed theologian is because his theology is joined with rich devotion. Enjoy the sweetness of this quote that magnifies the grace in Christ and incites us to praise!

"Who can give expression to the magnitude of this felicity? It consists in being overshadowed with God's gracious presence; to be surrounded with His supporting and preserving omnipotence; to rest in His unfailing faithfulness; to rejoice in God's eternal fullness, majesty and glory: to be enlightened by His light, goodness, and love; to be satisfied with His all-sufficiency; to lose oneself in His infinity and incomprehensibility; to bow before Him with delight and love; to be subject to Him; and to worship Him. This felicity consists in rendering Him honor and glory with heart, tongue, and deeds---being conscious of His perfections and because He is so worthy of this. In consists in fearing Him, in serving Him, and a complete and full acquiescence in His will because He is God. This felicity is such that I can neither comprehend it, nor can you define it. Rather, we must lose ourselves in its infinity, exclaiming, 'Hallelujah', 'Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD' (Psa. 33:12)!"

The Majesty of Christ Youth Conference

Eureka Primitive Baptist Church will conduct a youth conference on the theme of “The Majesty of Christ” June 5-6. The conference will target youth between the ages of 13-19. The conference will began @ 9:00 AM on Friday morning (June 5) and conclude at noon on Saturday (June 6). There will be a sleepover with adult supervision and the males and females separated into two different buildings. Attire is casual with shorts allowed as long as they are modest (no sleeveless shirts please). The schedule is:

Friday
Sign in @ 8:30-9:00
1st session @ 9:00-10:00
2nd session @ 10:15-11:00
Question & Answers @ 11:15-Noon
Lunch @ Noon-1:30
Devotion @ 1:30-2:00
3rd Session @ 2:00-3:00
Recreation @ 3:00-5:00
Supper @ 5:00-7:00
Worship @ 7:00-8:30
Ice Cream @ 8:30-10:00
Bedtime @ 10:00

Saturday
Breakfast @ 7:30-8:30
Devotion @ 8:30-9:00
Session 4 @ 9:00-9:45
Break @ 9:45-10:00
Session 5 @ 10:00-10:45
Break @ 10:45-11:00
Q & A @ 11:00-Noon

No matter our age, nationality, or status in life, Jesus Christ is to be glorified by us as we discover in Him majesty and glory. This conference is dedicated to viewing Christ in all His splendor which radically transforms lives for the glory of God. I hope you will come and participate with us in the conference that will be led by pastors Matt Strevel and Jamey Tucker. Please contact Pastor Jamey @ 229-426-1503 for more information.
“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb.” Revelation 5:12

A Few Thoughts

These thoughts did not originate with me but with Frances Turretin in "Institutes of Elenctic Theology." However, they are biblical based and worthy of sharing. When writing on the subject of the everlasting covenant of grace Turretin communicated the different means or ways in which the covenant has been revealed or administered (the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15, Abrahamic, Davidic, Mosaic covenants). However, he also described the richness of the revelation that we have today compared to the days before Christ's salvific work at Calvary. The old and new covenants were differentiated by:

1. Time---Before and after Christ
2. Clarity---mysteries are now more clearly revealed
3. Easiness---service was more burdensome under the law (Matt. 11:28-30)
4. Sweetness---Gospel promises are more frequent
5. Freedom---Through the infusion of the Holy Spirit
6. Amplitude---Universality of the gospel proclamation
7. Duration---No other revelation is to be given

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? (Hebrews 2:3)

Eureka's May Meeting

Pastor Jeff Winfrey from Dawson Springs, KY preached for us at Eureka during our May Meeting (May 7-9). The Lord was good to all of us as Bro. Jeff's preaching was saturated with Jesus! On Thursday night Bro. Jeff preached on the subject of "Peace." We were glad to have with us on Thursday night Bro. Jeff Pangle, the pastor of Missionary Baptist Church in our community, along with his wife. It was their first visit with us and in a Primitive Baptist service and we were glad they came. On Friday night Bro. Jeff preached about the resurrection of Jesus and the vast importance of this historical event. The meeting closed Saturday morning with the topic on "Better Things" from Hebrews. The congregation was made to worship our Lord through the testimony of the word and the exaltation of Christ. Praise the Lord!

Our Trip To Cincinnati

The Lord blessed me and my family to participate in the Family Worship Meeting in Cincinnati, OH May 1-3. Our family has been blessed by the ministry of Pastor Lasserre Bradley, Jr. for many years. We greatly enjoyed the fellowship with Brother and Sister Bradley in their home as they were gracious hosts in caring for us. Also, we delighted in our visitation with Bro. Justin Huffman, Cincinnati's Associate Pastor, and to see his and Sister Chau's newly adopted children and to renew acquaintance with Edmond.

The meeting was a real source of encouragement for all of us. The spiritual conversations and support from other young families was refreshing and edifying. We are anticipating with prayer and excitement the appointments for Bro. Bradley at Eureka in the month of August.

James Osbourn-"The Lawful Captive Delivered"

"But that grace should respect me, and single me out from others, and save my soul, is to be admired and spoken of with feelings of great gratitude: nor can I now well keep from saying, 'Why me, Lord; why me?' By nature there never was anything in me worth grace's notice; and grace might just as well have sought for merit in a nonentity as to have sought for it in me. Grace, therefore, in raising me up from what the Psalmist David calls the 'horrible pit and miry clay,' had to do it at its own expense, for I in no wise could help. And hence, in this respect, salvation came cheap to me, for it cost me nothing. I gained not heaven by toiling nor by spinning; and yet I can say unto my reader, 'that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like my soul.'"(p 12)

Pastor Jamey's Comment---Cheap grace! James Osbourn was describing the riches of God's grace in lavishing and bestowing unmerited favor upon him apart from anything good within him. But James Osbourn recognized that grace was costly in that God raised him from the pit at His (God's) own expense. Grace is free in that we do not earn it but grace came by Christ Jesus' pain and death!

However, a century later Dietrich Bonhoeffer used the expression "cheap grace" to describe salvation received that called for no self denial in the one who received grace. Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran minister in Germany during Hitler's regime and operated an underground seminary. He eventually was executed for his faith. He wrote: "cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ."

The context of Osbourn's quote was affirming the free nature of grace (free grace is like describing water as being wet) received, separate and apart from any decision or activity in the sinner. Bonhoeffer was refuting the idea of his day that salvation made no change or demand in the recipient of grace. Both ideas of "cheap grace" are true. Grace is received freely, and the assurance that grace is received is expressed through obedience. "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:38, 39).