Jesus Christ the Only Savior - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! Thou the resolve by God and King, the triumphs of his grace! This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Jesus, his name it shall be called, the holy angel said, For he shall save his people all by suffering in their stead. This heavenly message we believe that Christ should come to save This precious gospel we receive and give him all the praise. He healed the sick, gave back the dead, his faith, and it was done. And trusting him, we need not dread the cold and silent doom.

He wrought a victor over death, and back to heaven fast on, But will return again to earth to take his people home. O blessed Jesus, my dear friend, alone I look to thee, And when my little life shall end, I pray remember me. I'd like to be able to send you a copy of our publication, The Baptist Witness. I believe that the articles will be a blessing to you. There are letters from some of our listeners that I think provide encouragement and a complete schedule of all of the stations carrying the broadcast. Address your letter to the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Mention the call letters of the station over which you hear the program.

If you can help us with the support at this time, we certainly will be grateful for it. There are those who will say, I believe that there was a historical figure named Jesus Christ. Some will go so far as to say, well, I believe he was a great teacher. He was a wonderful example.

He had a positive influence. But the fact is, Jesus Christ came to this earth as the Savior. And the greatest thing we can say about him, while we are thankful for his teaching, we are thankful for his example, we above all give thanks that he is the Savior of sinners.

My subject, Jesus Christ, the only Savior. Read from the book of Acts, chapter 4, beginning with verse 10. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Peter and John had gone to the temple. And at the gate of the temple, they met a man who was seeking help.

He was asking alms. In chapter 3, verse 6, then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee. This man had been there for years, depending on people to give him a few coins as they went into the temple to worship. And he was expecting to receive some help in that regard from Peter and John.

But Peter responds, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him in the right hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

What a remarkable transformation. Here's a man, they were all acquainted with him, he'd been there for years and no doubt most of them had helped him along his way, but he was still in the same plight. But when Peter and John speak to him in the name of Jesus Christ, he does something he'd never been able to do before.

He gets up and walks. He's walking and praising God. Verse 11, And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the ports that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we made this man to walk? He's making it clear that this miracle was not a result of his worthiness or his power.

The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his son Jesus whom he delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. A lot of people have the idea that preaching ought always to be consoling, that it ought always to be a message of comfort. Well, I love to deliver messages of comfort. There are certainly many principles in the scripture, many texts to which we could turn, find a comforting message.

But there are times there's another message needed. Somebody might say, Peter just seemed a little out of place. These people are amazed at the miracle and no doubt rejoicing that this man is able to walk and you want to bring up the fact that they were guilty of crucifying Jesus. But he denied the Holy One and the just and desired a murderer be granted unto you. When Pilate gave the option, he thought maybe they would surely say, let Jesus go but keep Barabbas a prisoner.

But they said, no, no. You can let this criminal go free but concerning Jesus crucify him, crucify him. And so you kill the Prince of Life whom God had raised from the dead, whereof we are all witnesses, a very bold message, very direct, very convicting, bringing the facts before these people of their great sin and their great need of the Savior Jesus Christ. Verse 16, and his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong whom ye see and know.

Yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I walk that through ignorance ye did it, as did your rulers. But those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all the prophets that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. So while you are accountable for your actions, you're responsible for your sinful deed, this was all in harmony with God's sovereign purpose, the very purpose for which he had sent his son into the world was to die. Now notice, verse 19, repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. So he doesn't try to defend these people. He does say it no doubt was because you were ignorant, but he still holds the feet to the fire and said you're responsible.

You did the wrong thing. You sinned and therefore you need to repent. And this is a continuous message throughout the New Testament. From John the Baptist to Jesus to the Apostles, here Peter then is calling on the people to repent.

For what purpose? That they might be converted, that their sins might be blotted out. Verse 7, they were then brought before the authorities and asked by what power or by what name he is made whole. They'd already been addressing the people, but now they're brought before the authorities and they're asking the question, how did this happen?

By what name? They responded, by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And then continued with the words of our text, neither is there salvation in any other for there is none of the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. So as they declared that this healing was accomplished in the name of Jesus Christ and by his power. And he was to be exalted and praised as a result of it. He then goes on to speak of the fact that as Jesus Christ was able to heal this afflicted man, he's the only one that can save sinners.

He is the only way of salvation and so he preaches the gospel message. So as we look at this declaration, we want to consider first of all, the need of the Savior. Secondly, the sufficiency of the Savior. Next, the exclusivity of the Savior and then the greatness of the Savior.

First of all, we think about the need. Many see no need of a Savior because they don't believe in God. They don't believe that there is a true and living God. They don't believe that there is one to whom they must give an account.

They don't believe that there is a day of judgment. And we read of this in Romans chapter 1 verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. This word hold is a word that means to suppress.

They were seeking to hold it down. They were trying to suppress the truth and says God's wrath is revealed from heaven against them. Now many would like to think about God as though He never displays wrath. As though He would never mete out punishment. As though He would never judge the wicked. But the God of the Bible is holy, hates sin and will punish sinners. And so His wrath is against these who seek to suppress the truth about God.

Seek to hold it down because that which may be known of God is manifest in them. For God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things which are made even His eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. I've had people say to me, well, I just, I can't believe in God because there's not enough evidence. If He would just give me some further proof, I might be able to believe it. God says I've given you all the proof you need.

I've made it clear to you. His handiwork displays His existence. You look into the stars of the sky at night, the brilliance of the sun at noonday. You look at the trees and the flowers. You look at a human being.

The intricate parts of the human body that must function in order for one to live. Surely you have to know none of this could have happened by accident, by some strange mysterious explosion. It happened because God is the sovereign creator and brought it about. And He says, furthermore, I've put something in every human being to make them know there is a God. So God says you're without excuse.

The person says, I don't feel like I need a Savior because I'm not sure there is a God. God says, He lives, you're accountable, you're without excuse. Well then, some who will say, well I believe there is a God, but the God that I believe in would never punish anybody. Well, the book of Nahum chapter 1 verse 3 says, the Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. God's not going to just overlook the sinful situation and say, well, it's not that significant. No, He will not at all acquit the wicked.

The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of His feet. See, when a person speaks in this vein, I just don't believe that God would ever punish anybody. They obviously have no concept of the holiness of God. God, being absolutely holy, is angry with the wicked every day. He hates sin.

His perfect nature demands that He hates sin and punishes sin. And there are those that would say, well, I feel that I'm good enough. I think I'll be okay. I've just been amazed at how many people I've talked to over the years. Some whose lives were in total disarray. All of us are lawbreakers. All of us have seen and come short of the glory of God, but some of these individuals I'm thinking about were in deep trouble in every category of life. They'd been in and out of jail.

They had committed so many crimes and their record was deplorable. And yet they would say, I think I'll be okay. Say, I think I've got a good heart. Well, the problem is the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. That's where the sin comes from. So to think that somehow I'm going to be all right is totally contrary to the teaching of God's word. Jesus talked about the Pharisee and the publican that went up to the temple to pray in Luke, chapter 18, verse 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I'm not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican, and I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess. Now, I doubt that anybody listening to me today has ever prayed that kind of a prayer out loud.

You know that that's very inappropriate. It's a display of pride. But there may have been times that down deep inside you were looking at other people and you were saying, well, I'm not perfect, but I'm sure better than they are.

I'm sure glad I haven't done some of the things they've done. And I do go to church all the time and I do read the Bible and that's the language of the Pharisee. He's saying, based on my morality and based on my religious exercise, I think I'm all right. But his prayer really wasn't a prayer, it was just a declaration of his own self-righteousness.

He went down to his house with his prayer, so-called, having been rejected while the publican who smote upon his breast and said, God, be merciful to me, the sinner, had his prayer heard. So even if imperfection is admitted, somebody says, well, I know I'm not perfect, but then they go on to say, but I haven't done all that much wrong. So is a person to escape judgment because they haven't done all that much wrong? A person appears in a courtroom today and says to the judge, well, I only stole from one person, I didn't steal from everybody.

You think that's going to make a difference? No, the fact they stole from one person, they're a thief. Or I only killed one person, didn't kill several, is that going to mean they're off?

No. That means they've broken the law and they're going to face the penalty. Breaking one of God's law makes you a law breaker, a criminal. I never like to think of myself like that.

No, none of us do. But the fact is, as a law breaker, as a violator of God's holy standard, we are justly condemned. And the scriptures declare that all are condemned. First of all, we're condemned because we're related to the fallen parent Adam. Adam stood as the head and representative of the human family. First Corinthians 15, 21 says, for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Now, all of us were in Adam. He represented the whole human family. Not all of the human family is in Christ. Those who are in Christ, those who have believed on him, those who have been redeemed by him, they are in Christ. All that are in Christ are made alive. And so we're sinners condemned because we're part of the human family. And we're sinners by practice.

We're born with a sinful nature. You look at a little child, they're so beautiful and sweet and precious and we love them so much. But they get up about three years old and they begin to learn that sometimes they think it's their advantage to lie. Can you believe that? That a little three year old would lie?

Well, I've heard reports that they do. Walk into the kitchen and the cookie jar is out on the counter and there are crumbs beside it. This little guy's got crumbs all over his face and the mother says, did you do that? Not me. It wasn't me.

The evidence is clear. He had violated the rule. He was in the cookie jar.

He decided that he would lie to try to get out of it. Well, the description that God gives us sinners in Romans chapter 3 is very explicit. Without reading it all verbatim, we'll just run through the list of things that are in this passage. Romans 3 verses 10 to 18 starts with the fact that there is none righteous, no, not one. So if there's one person who said, well, I think I can excuse myself from this number because I just haven't done all that much.

That's really bad. I think basically I'm a good person. Well, that's not the way God views you. Doesn't view me or any of us that way. He says all have sinned. There's none righteous.

No, not one. And next he says there is none that understands. By nature, man doesn't understand the truth about God. He fashions of God after his own preferences. He doesn't understand the holiness of God by which he abhors that which is evil. He doesn't understand the justice of God. He doesn't understand sin. He doesn't understand himself. So man, apart from the effects of work of the Spirit to reveal these things to him, he does not know.

He does not understand. Next, it says there's none that seeketh after God. Now, obviously, there are people who seek after false gods. They try to find a God that suits their preference. They seek after that God. But they don't seek after the true God, because by nature, we're an enmity against God.

We are his enemy. Man doesn't like the way God operates his business. I don't like to be told what I'm to do and not do. I don't want to be accountable.

It just appalls me to think that somebody suggests I would have to stand in the presence of Almighty God in the day of judgment, and all of my sins be revealed, and I should have to suffer accordingly. So there's none that seek that God. They run from him. It says then they have all gone out of the way.

Not just some people, all people. They've gone out of the right way. They've gone in the wrong direction. They have together become unprofitable. Now, the fact is a person in nature may participate in some charitable activities, do something that is commendable on the human level. But when it comes to being able to do something that is acceptable in God's sight, he says without faith, it's impossible to please him. So a person might do works that are praised by others, but they're not acceptable in God's sight. They have become unprofitable.

And then a repetition really of what we read in the first line. There is none that do good. No, not one.

Not a single one that does good in God's sight to make him acceptable. Their throat is an open grave. They lie. They lie to their own advantage. They try to lie to themselves. They try to lie to God. They try to lie to other people. With their tongues they've used deceit. Surely we live in a day when there's much confusion and you get to the place you wonder, who can you believe? You know already when you look at the news on television that it's delivered with prejudice and you think, well, I wonder which part of this is right.

What can I depend on? Well, yes, with the tongue they have used deceit. The poison of asp is under their lips. Say, this isn't going to make anybody feel good.

Obviously it wasn't intended for that. It is used by the Holy Spirit of God to convict a person of their sin and of their desperate need of Jesus Christ as the Savior. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Oh, how many people, in spite of the common grace of God, to provide for them, be merciful to them, are full of bitterness and anger.

We see so much of that in our society today. Murderous. Yes, destruction and misery are in their ways. Their feet are swift to shed blood.

Some of the most horrendous accounts of murder have been in our papers of late and heard on the news. The man in the depths of his fallen nature has the capacity to be a murderer. And then he says, the way of peace they have not known and there is no fear of God before their eyes. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but these individuals lack wisdom. They're in the dark.

They're part of the darkness. And then verse 19 of Romans 3 concludes with this, every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. So if there's one mouth still open, somebody will say, well, I want to express my point of view.

I want to claim an exemption. I'm not in that list. That every mouth may be stopped. Verse 23, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see. When we see the description of man's fallen state as laid out in Scripture, we recognize the desperate need of amazing grace. Man is not entitled to anything. He doesn't deserve salvation.

He cannot work for it. It has to be by the grace of God. That's the good news of the gospel we bring, that those who come by faith to Jesus Christ, not bringing any good works by which they can purchase this salvation, but find what they need in the Savior. I hope that you will write us, and until next week at the same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Praise that God be saved thus far, and grace will lead me home.