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(Depressed Disciples) That One Sin
Willie Mullan

William “Willie” Mullan (1911 - 1980). Northern Irish Baptist evangelist and pastor born in Newtownards, County Down, the youngest of 17 children. Orphaned after his father’s death in the Battle of the Somme, he faced poverty, leaving home at 16 to live as a tramp, struggling with alcoholism and crime. Converted in 1937 after hearing Revelation 6:17 in a field, he transformed his life, sharing the gospel with fellow tramps. By 1940, he began preaching, becoming the Baptist Union’s evangelist and pastoring Great Victoria Street and Bloomfield Baptist churches in Belfast. In 1953, he joined Lurgan Baptist Church, leading a Tuesday Bible class averaging 750 attendees for 27 years, the largest in the UK. Mullan authored Tramp After God (1978), detailing his redemption, and preached globally in Canada, Syria, Greece, and the Faeroe Islands, with thousands converted. Married with no children mentioned, he recorded 1,500 sermons, preserved for posterity. His fiery, compassionate preaching influenced evangelicalism, though later controversies arose.
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Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the preacher shares a personal story about his experience as a prisoner in a German prison camp after World War II. He reflects on the defeat of Hitler and the young boys who were left to guard the camp. The preacher then recounts a violent act he committed by stabbing two of the young guards with a butcher's knife. He also shares another story of a woman who confesses to a sin she committed as a young girl. The preacher emphasizes the need for understanding justification by faith and refers to 1 Timothy 1:12 as a basis for his teaching.
Sermon Transcription
The subject of ours again this evening, and for the past three weeks we have been looking at this depression. And evening after evening I've called it depressed disciples. Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones believes, and I believe with him, that the one thing the devil takes to haunt, and horrify, and distress, and upset, and left, make you, in your mind, go nearly round the bend. The one thing that he takes to oppress and depress disciples, is that one sin that somebody committed so long ago. You know, there are so many of God's people, and you know, there's an old sin, maybe they committed it thirty years ago, maybe more, and they wish they had never committed it. They cry to God continually, Oh God, that I had never been guilty of this. And the old devil haunts them, horrifies them through this. A lady said to me, not very long ago, that one horrible, hellish, haunting sin, it drives me round the bend. Oh yes, it was the devil that was doing this. And I believe there are saints tonight, real saints, born again saints, and they're walking the floor of the bedroom night after night about this thing. Or they're tumbling in bed with tears in their eyes. Saints that phone me up and say, I'm nearly out of my mind. And they're depressed disciples. And the devil is using this one sin to distract and disturb. Now, let me say a word again about depressed disciples. I was telling the meeting last week, and some of you were not here, that a gentleman came in to see me, and he said to me, you know, you're talking these nights about depressed disciples, and I don't quite agree with this. And I said, what's wrong with it? He said, well, the psalmist, when he was writing, he said, Hattie, is that people whose God is the Lord? And you know, I looked him up and down very closely, I knew who he was, and where he came from. And I wondered, had he got into this cult that's abroad, because there are people abroad that are in a cult, and they believe that if you're really saved from the moment that you're born again, you'll never have a care in this world. Just to be perfectly frank about it, I've never really met anybody like this. They like to stand up and say, from the moment I was saved, I never had a care, I never had a fear, I never had a tear, I never had a sorrow. They don't like to do it. You remember when Nicholson said, is there a man here who never had a row with a wife? A wee man stood up and put his hands up, and Nicholson said, sit down, you wee hypocrite, you. Oh, I'm afraid that sort of thing won't work at all. So I want to tell the rest of the meeting this evening, and it's for a very special purpose that I'm sort of doubly laying this foundation. I said to this gentleman, where did you find this text? Happy is the people whose God is the Lord. He said, I found it in Psalm 144, have a look at it. Because it's worth looking at again, and it's worth remembering where it is too. It's in the book of Psalms, and it's 144. And it's the last verse. Happy is that people that is in such a case, yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord. And there is a conference tonight, and they say we're happy all the day. And I said to him, who penned this Psalm, and if you've got a good Bible in your hand, you can see that Psalm 144 was a Psalm of David. No troubles about it at all. So I said, David penned this did he? He said, oh yes he did. So I said, and it's in Psalm 142. Well he also penned that, and that's not very far away from 144. And in the third verse of Psalm 142, David said, when my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my way, my path. That took him back a little bit you see. I said, are you trying to tell me that when his spirit was overwhelmed within him, that he was happy? You're not trying to tell me that you're. And then I went on to Psalm 143. Because that follows on. For in Psalm 143, in verse 3, it reads like this, for the enemy hath persecuted my soul. Then verse 4 comes in there, therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me. You see, I think that we've got to think very soberly here. You know, we rejoice in God's salvation. And we rejoice with joy unfeasible and full of glory. No quibbles about that at all. And in a certain sense we are a happy people. But let's not forget that we're living in time and there is an enemy. What do you know about the enemy, do you? Maybe he lets you alone. Remind you, I would be sorry for you if he does. Because I think that the devil is letting you alone at salvation you need. I don't know anything, I don't know anything with a 30, 40, 20, 10 year experience who hasn't had trouble. I don't know them. I never met them and nobody else has. You take the history of the church from Pentecost to this moment. Sure I could keep you all night telling you about the troubles. Oh, there's an enemy, you know. And he'll persecute your soul if you don't watch until your spirit is overwhelmed within you. I said to this character, because I really meant to bump into him. I said, you know, once upon a time Peter stood up and denied the Lord with all the churches. It was a terrible moment in his life. And the Lord turned slowly, I think, and had a look at him. I don't think the Lord looked angry or anything like that. I think he looked sort of sympathetically at him. His eyes sort of said, didn't I tell you? Didn't I warn you what you would do? And Peter went out and wept bitterly. Did you get it? Wept bitterly. You're not telling me he's happy when he's weeping bitterly, do you? Oh, the tripe I have to listen to. It tends to be nice. It's pure tripe. And a big man standing up who's got intelligence. I should take him and throw him through the window. Oh, but I've just got to be as nice as I can. My dear, you know right well on resurrection morning when the poo went down the road to Emmaus that the Lord Jesus drew near and went with them and said to them what manner of conversation is this that you have one to another and walk under our sand? Of course they're our sand. You see, we live down here on this planet and there is an enemy. And there's a thing called sin. And if you deny the Lord, for if you do what David did, you'll lose the joy of your salvation. For if your faith is insincere, you'll walk and you'll be sad. You'd think we weren't living down here, you hear some of them. We're all ordinary folks, you know, living. And there is a devil and there are troubles and there are storms. And when the disciples were in the boats and the boat was being rocked, you know, the brook said, they were in jeopardy. I looked into his eye and I said, do you think they're happy when they're in jeopardy? Do I need to go on with this prank? Let's have it over. For God's sake, learn you're on the earth and there is an enemy. And there are difficult days and there are storms and there is pain. And we all blunder. And you're sorry when you do it. And if you're not, you should be. You see, I had to read this to him before I got right into him. Let's have a look at this. This is 1 Peter in chapter 1. 1 Peter. And this is why I went back onto this this week, just for the moment or two, of course. And it's 1 Peter chapter 1. And you know, Peter's a great old writer. Remember, he was just a fisherman. And he was a non-learned and ignorant man. Oh, but what the Spirit of God can do with a vessel when he gets it. So it begins with the word Peter. Not the Holy Father Peter, you know. Oh, no, dear Roman Catholic friends. You've tangled the words well. It is no poetry. It starts with a plain word. No old ecclesiastical Roman nonsense, which some of the Protestants have copied. What a bit of Peter. That's all. An apostle of Jesus Christ. And he's writing to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia and so on. He's writing to Jews who were gloriously saved. They were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. That's really thrilling, isn't it? Through sanctification of the Spirit onto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again onto a lively hope. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. On that feet it moth away. Preserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith. Unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye gratefully rejoice. Now that's it. You know when you know that you're one of the elect and you're chosen. And you're washed in the blood and you're journeying home. And there's an inheritance reserved in heaven. And everything's okay. Wherein ye gratefully rejoice. And the big man's eyes were shining at this obvious speech. Now I said right behind it. And there's not a full stop between them either. Wherein ye gratefully rejoice. Though none for a season. If needs be ye are in heaviness. That's what the laugh of your face wouldn't it. As the king I'll see more things. Or are you going to go on with one eye shut. Now I'm not going to batter this any more. But when we can come back we'll not have any meeting here next Tuesday. But we'll have one the next one. For as I know that's the 19th. And we're going to look at manifold temptations. The word temptations there's the old Greek word for testing. Manifold testing. Because you see some people are depressed by one thing. And some people by another. And some by another. And you see the devil uses these manifold testings. And we'll go into them when we come back again. But the one we're looking at tonight. It's this one thing. Mind you it's a terrible thing that he uses. You see sometimes a man or a woman. They have committed sins a way back in their own saved days. Or one particular horrible hellish sin as the lady called it. Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones writes a lovely story in one of his books. Can I read this to you? He said let me give you what is the most graphic illustration of this that I have ever come across in my own experience. I mention it simply to illustrate the point I am making. I remember an old man who was converted and became a Christian at the age of 77. One of the most striking conversions I have ever known. That man had lived a very evil life. There was scarcely anything he had not done at some time or another. But he came under the sound of the gospel and was converted in his old age. The great day came when he was received into the membership of the church. And when he came to his first communion service on the Sunday evening. It was for him the biggest thing that had ever happened. His joy was indescribable. And we were all so happy round about him. But there was a sequel and this is the sequel. Next morning even before I was up. That old man had arrived at my house. And then he stood looking a picture of misery and rejection and weeping uncontrollably. I was amazed and astounded especially in view of what had happened the previous night. The greatest night of his life. The climax of everything. I eventually succeeded in controlling him in a physical sense. And then asked him what was the matter. His trouble was this. After going home from that communion service. He had suddenly remembered something that had happened thirty years ago. He was with a group of men drinking in a public house and arguing about religion. On that occasion he had said in contempt and derision. That Jesus Christ was a bastard. When he got home that night. He remembered it. Felt sure. There was no forgiveness for this. Oh the devil was on the job wasn't he. Sometimes he kicks up something like this you see. And he creeps into the bedroom and he creeps into your mind. And he's going to depress you if you don't watch. Until he has you nearly round the bend. You see I too have a lot of experience about this sort of thing. A professor at Queen's taught me one day and said. Willie I want you to do something for me. And he'd always been very kind to me this gentleman. And I said you know I'll do anything I can for you. He said I want you to go to see my father. He lives in Dangle in a big bungalow there. He's an old army major. He was right through the war. He says I understood your father was slaved. Oh yes he says my father was slaved through reading one of your books. He says what's wrong with him. He says we don't know. He says but every year since the war in March he goes off at head. We've taken him to all the psychiatrists of the day. We've taken him to America. We've got everything we can. I'd like you to go down and have a talk with him. I said so long as you tell him I'm coming. I went away. Found the bungalow. Found the old major lying back in a big chair. I said your son taught me. Tells me that every March that something happens to your mind. He said that's true. But no one can help me. He said you know I've been to the best psychiatrist in the world. We've spent a lot of money but nobody can help me. I said Major you wouldn't be hiding something that you committed somewhere away back there somewhere. And I can see him deeply moved in the chair. He said you come nearer than anybody. Oh I said Major you're hiding things. Who can help you while you hide like that. He said look I never wanted to say this but I've got to say it now. I said go on get it up your chest so we hear what's wrong with you. He said you see I was taken prisoner at the end of the Hitler war 1945 or thereabouts. And he said you know when they took me to the German prison camp I could see with one eye as an old warrior that Hitler was defeated. He had got little lads of fifteen and twelve and fourteen guarding the camp. He had no men left. He said I weighed this up in so many hours. These kids are looking after these warriors. And I went down to the kitchen to wash pans and I stole a butcher's knife and put it down my shirt. Big long butcher's knife. And when the little fella came in that evening to lock the door I just rammed it through. He said I can hear the crunch of this thing on his rib jet. And I can hear the gasp of his breath and I can see his eyes open wide as he went back. He said I took the keys off him. I walked out into the corridor and there's another boy at the far end. And I walked up and I just rammed it into him too. And another one round the corner I gave him the same. I let the man out. They're all free. He said I can't get over it. I can hear that gasp of breath yet. And I meant to arouse him. I said did you think this was a sin? It was murder. He said I thought you know that you were a believer in the Lord Jesus. He says I am. I said do you believe that he was wounded for your transgressions and bruised for your iniquities? He said I do. I said no you don't. I said Major what's up with you is that you believe that he was bruised for all your iniquities but this one. And I assure you if he wasn't bruised for this you'll be in hell. Oh yes you know. They're all devils of this. He comes in to this. He would like to wipe out the cross wouldn't he? Oh he does isn't he. I received a letter once from a lady. She lives about a hundred miles away from here. So nobody will know her and I'll not tell you where. But I could see it was written by somebody who knew how to write. And how to put things down on paper. And I received it about 8 o'clock in the morning. And that half past 8 I was on the way to see her. A hundred miles away. And I had to ask a lot of questions to find the house. And stopped at the garage when I was getting near the place. And said do you know Mrs. So and So? Yes I do indeed. See you see that big house standing in its own grounds there. Not winding up and not through the trees. That's where she lives. I said does she live alone? She said no there are others who live there too. I said do you know her? She said I know her very well. I think she's the nicest lady in the country. Thank you. Dropped the drive, knocked the door. Lady in black. Silk black. Silver hair. Beautiful face. 72 years of age but doesn't look anything like it. She said Mr. Mullen. You know me here? She said yes I know you. I wrote the letter. She said come in. We'll go into a room on our own. She said I'm out of my mind. I've been walking the floor for a year and a half. About a cent. For about a minute. I don't know what to do about it. I said you'd like to tell me about it do you? She said when I was a girl going to school I was only 14. And I used to steal sweets out of the house to take to the road man. And give them to the old road man on the road. And talk to him. And we talked and laughed together. Then one morning he put his arms around me and kissed me. Then he took me into the field and we committed sex. That was the only time I ever knew a man at all. And I didn't think about it. Until now that I'm away 70 years of age. And the devil's driving me round the bend. And I said the same to her as I said to the old major. I thought you were a believer dear. I am a believer. I believe Jesus died for me do you know? Do you believe he was wounded for your transgressions and was bruised for your iniquities? Yes I do she said. No you don't I said. You don't get an offer that dear. You just believe that he died for some of your iniquities but not this one. I said did Christ leave this house? When he's on the cross. When God laid upon him all our iniquities. Would you believe that? You'll go to hell and go off forever. And like a slouch I can say this you know. This was something I will never forget. I can see her looking up and her eyes opening wide. Says my God I'm being tormented for something that Jesus died for. Oh that's better dear. Oh yes this is what the devil does. You know he goes on with this thing doesn't he? And there are not only these cancers. There are thousands more. And I want to note for you this evening that there are two things wrong in all this. You know if there's somebody here then maybe nobody knows about it. But you lie awake about these sort of things. Or that something has dogged your footsteps. Or the old devil has taken up something that you're guilty of. And you're really guilty. And he's coming around and he's tormenting. And he's vexing and you're grievously vexed. And you're oppressed by the devil. And you're depressed. I want you to get the hold of it my dear friend. That there is a devil. I think you know some of the believers don't really believe that there's a devil. Fundamentally you know they would argue there is a personal devil. Oh yes. You don't think that there should be talks to end. That some of the things that go through your mind to disturb you is the devil. I think you don't realise the disturbance of the devil. My dear friend if you read through the book tonight we would wish all the time I'm talking about the devil going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. And he is you know. He doesn't leave me alone. He and I are not friends. Not anymore. No. Paul talks about the fiery dust of the wicked. He must have had an experience or two. Paul talks about stupid hindrance. The Canaanites woman came and said My daughter lies at home grievously backstabbed the devil. Yes. David was right when he said The enemy have persecuted my soul. And you know so many of these depressed disciples they are not only not realising the disturbance that the devil is creating in their minds but the big thing is that they are ignorant of the doctrine of justification and forgiveness of sins. These two things are wrong. There is a disturbance of the devil and there is the ignorance of the doctrine. Now I have dealt with a lot of souls you know. And I have had a great lot of success in helping folks which gives me great joy. Now first of all let me say this. What these souls need is not to be told to tell. Oh you know when you go around and say you know I am going around the bend and something distracts me. Some old character says you know you want to go home and pray. Dear that is the last thing you want to do and that is not right for me to say you shouldn't pray but that is the last thing you should do. You see dear what you are covering is that I am not believing God here. What is the use of you praying to God when you don't believe Him. Just cut out the praying for a minute or two and you will get absolutely out of the matter. And you can come back and pray when it is fixed up all right. Some of the things of God they believe the devil's lies quicker than they believe God's truth and then they want to pray to God. Leave the praying out for a minute or two. We are trying to help you. You see what I think you need is to know the way to get about this thing. And you know you want to realize the whole picture of justification by faith. And you need to know exactly what Christ did with sin at Calvary. Now this is the way let me start to teach you the way And I believe if you follow this that you will be blessed forever more. Let's go to 1st Timothy and we are only shortly getting started aren't we. 1st Timothy and we are at the first chapter. 1st Timothy and we are at chapter 1 and we are at verse 12. Now please try to follow this and watch it carefully. 1st Timothy chapter 1 verse 12 Paul talking to Timothy said And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry. And I want you to see the three things that the Lord did for this poor sinner. You know he says the Lord hath enabled me. Now I could take a whole night on the enablement of Christ to a poor sinner who has come to us. And then you do know that the Lord counted Paul faithful we were out there from Sunday morning. Because he was a chosen disciple. Remember the Lord was going to trust him with a lot of things. And knew he could trust and he counted him faithful. Putting me into the ministry. Now here is what he has to say. Who was before a blasphemer? Yet a sinner in his true light. And a persecutor. Oh yes he persecuted. But Christ did he said in another place. And injurious. You know he was hounding the saints of God. And he was bringing them not only to prison but he was bringing them to death. And this man's hand was stained with blood. Yes he stood by while those stone thieves and the great saints in the other church. He says who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy you know. Because I did it ignorantly and on belief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundance with faith and love. Which is in Christ Jesus. And he comes out with this great statement this is a faithful saying worthy of all that faith in that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And this is a big bit that we leave out of whom I am chief. Let's all get the hold of this we are sort of looking at the chief of sinners now. A man who was a blasphemer of a character that you would never think about. He hated the name of Jesus. Yes a man who was a persecutor of man and woman who yelled hell did the name of Jesus abroad. A man who was injurious who brought saints not only to prison but to death. Says I am the chief. How be it for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first all that did this be that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all non-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him for life ever. But he says I am the patron. Well do you see me? Oh look at me I am the chief of sinners. If he that comes then shall you get bound. Do you not know about this? This was the patron here in me first you know. The Lord Jesus has let me see what he can really do what grace and mercy can do. It doesn't matter who you are or what you have done you know. You will never be up in this realm at all you see. He was the chief of sinners. He was in the top league of sinners. Let's go back to Acts of the Apostles chapter 10. The Acts of the Apostles and we are at chapter 10. And this is Peter you know. You can read the whole story when you get home but we will read from verse 9. Acts 10 verse 9. And on the morrow as they went on their journey and drew nigh on to the city Peter went up on to the housetop to pray. About the sixth hour it's always good to leave the clouds and go to pray. And he became very hungry and would have eaten but while they made ready he fell into a stance and saw heaven opened and the second vessel descending on to him as it had been agreed. Sheets knit up before God was let down to the earth wherein were all manner of four footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and foibles there and there came a voice to him Rise Peter kill and eat. But Peter said not so Lord. And it was Dr. Campbell Morgan I think who pointed out first that you can't say those three words together. When the Lord speaks to you and tells you to do something you can't say not so Lord. You'll have to say not so and cut the Lord bit out of it he's not your Lord if you're saying not so. Or you'll have to say Lord and cut the not so out. You'll have to do as you're told. And this is not right language at all you can't look at your Lord and say not so Lord. But this is what Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice speaks unto him again the second time What God hath cleansed What God hath cleansed that call not thou common. You know dear as God hath cleansed you're not allowed to call anything that God hath cleansed common or unclean you're not allowed to do it. You see on Sunday evening at the gospel here we were looking at this mighty statement The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses us from all sin. And I was trying to get this over to the people that what John was really saying was this that there is power in the blood. He was saying the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses us from all sin. He was saying that there is power in the blood. And you know he was going a bit further than that He was saying there is cleansing power in the blood. The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses us from all sin. So there is not only power in the blood but there is cleansing power in the blood. And the word cleanses is an old Greek word that has a present continuous sense about it. So the Greek scholars tell me Dr. Robertson said so and I think he knows. So that what John is saying is this there is not only power in the blood and there is not only cleansing power in the blood but there is continual cleansing power in the blood. It will never lose its power. It's like the whistle on the windscreen it goes on and on and on and on. Somebody tried to call to me once and said Look how is this power in the blood? Oh they would love to talk to me like that wouldn't they? I said you know when the Americans dropped the bomb on Hiroshima Oh yes it was the first atomic thing. And you know it much flumes out You know something about it don't you? And there was a fallout going out there. Hundreds of miles out there was a fallout There was a rebellious activity that belonged to Israel. So it's still there. And when Christ's blood was shed there was an efficaciousness and a force of power in the blood. There is cleansing power in the blood. There is continual cleansing power in the blood. Oh but it went further than that. John said the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanseth us from all... Did you get that? Because there is comprehensive continual cleansing power in the blood. Say hello Lindsay where is he? Oh I thought you had gone to sleep down there. Yeah I should think so. Friend what God has cleansed dear Don't you let the devil come round to tell you it's even common. Because when God takes your sin on He says there your sins be asked they shall be as white as snow. You see we need to know about How Paul made a sort of example this chief of sins. We need to know about the cleansing power of the blood. You know we need to know what the Lord Jesus did with our sins. Supposing I take these two words Our sins Every believer is included here everyone it doesn't make a matter who you are or where you come from or what denomination you belong to if you are trusting in the Lord Jesus then when we say our sins we are talking about the whole family it's a family text you know our sins. It isn't finished now just watch me and we'll not turn to it at all. He his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. You got that haven't you? Because that's tremendous you know. Because it just means this that God laid on him the iniquities of us all. As my iniquities will make their sign me. And there's Christ on the cross. And God laid on him all my iniquities to free all but the mortals and that. He his own self bare the word bare means to bare away. He bore away our sins. He took them away they're gone. Not really got a wee bit more room for this. It says Christ died for our sins. He didn't only bare them and he wasn't only bearing them away he died. Oh yes. Christ died for our sins. I like the hymn that said buried he carried my sins far away. Because the burial has got a bit to do with it. And I want to tell you this. Say he had died himself for our sins. Didn't only bare them away. Didn't only die for them. But when he had by himself purged. What a word. It means to blot them out. And when we say our sins for any six don't say half of them. Now what would be the look of the Lord dying for the half of them. The other half of them. Be the people in awe. My sins in their totality for eternity and calvary. All are done. Not coming back to do it all over again. It's done. Christ died for our sins. Dear saints get the hold of this. Get the hold of it. You see here's something else I think you need to get the hold of. Let's have a look at Acts chapter 13. The Acts of the Apostles chapter 13. And Paul preaching in one of the synagogues. And a feel of feeling you know just of what he does. Here he's preaching just to cut it short. Verse 38. Looks round the cloud and he says Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe are justified from all things. So I want you to see two things. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe are justified from all things. You know forgiveness and justification I'll tell you there's a bit of a difficulty here. You see we have a young minister in the meeting there tonight and he knows this quite well. He knows better than I do of course. That there is no court in this land of ours. This young man knows the law inside out. There is no court in this land that can forgive a man and justify him at the same time. They can't do that you know. You see you may be brought before the court and the judge may say well is this is it your first time, your first offence? And he may let you go because it's your first offence. He may forgive you. Not fine, don't do anything to you. Get off. Now I'll tell you he can't justify what you did. Oh no. He can't do that. There's a remark put down in the book and if you repeat it in a couple of years or maybe ten years they'll turn it up and say you know you had this before. Oh you're not justified. You see if a man stands at the bar and he pleads his cause and he puts his case right and the judge sees that the man is not guilty at all he can be justified before the court. Oh but you can't forgive a man. He never did anything. Don't say you didn't do it at all. You go on home, you're ok. But if he justifies him he can be forgiven. Oh but I want you to get this clear that heaven does both at the same time. Just because the Lord Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the tree and you come and put your trust in him then God will give you forgiveness of sin. Paul says we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sin. But I'll tell you what's more you know at the same psychological second God will justify you from all things. Here the judge of all the earth sitting on the throne of life say a clear man justified, just as his eyes never sinned at all. You'd rather hold to this because this happens to be the doctrine that you would need to know a bit more about. You see you would need to know the power of the blood. You would need to know the work of the cross. You would need to know the forgiveness and the justification that comes from God. Do you know anything about the covenant the new covenant the covenant that God makes with every believer? We don't want to waste time but I'll tell you what the terms are it says your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more. That's a very tight one you know you think it's easy. You know when God says I will remember no more he's not saying I'll forget them you know. All that's mixed up remember no more with forgetfulness. You see forgetfulness is the human weakness. I've got an old mind that remembers a tremendous lot of things and I thank God for it every day. Good old memory it keeps me going. Oh but I do forget things. Wife sends me up to sleep for messages and I meet somebody and talk to them and I get into doctrines and I come home without the message. And you know what trouble I'm in then? Yes? But you see God is not forgetting. Only God has this prerogative. Only God can do this. Only God can remember no more. He can't do it. They say John look you said that thing about me give me your heart I'll forgive you that's forgiveness. I'll be good and remember it next week. Well you're not going to go down and take me and throw a rat to go and come back here again you know. You're just a human being. But when God says your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more God can do that. And only God. God puts it out. Yes you've got to get this doctrine haven't you? You know I once said to a soul there was a soul who was in with me and talking about this particular thing he said it troubles me I can remember him with the tears of it it troubles me I said that's not your trouble at all your trouble is not your trouble that's how it is but never mind we'll tell you those. I said your trouble is not your sin your trouble is not believing God is your trouble. Don't talk to me about your sins don't talk to me about this Scarlet thing. Don't talk about what Christ has done what the power of his blood can do what justification means what the covenant says but believe God and I can remember many souls you know just bowing down and saying my God I've walked the floor and I've put an endless night and Jesus Jesus paid it all why should you weep when Jesus suffered for your sins now when we come back on the next Tuesday you're going to look at those manifold testings because there's a whole lot of them sometimes you're tested when people speak evil of you ah the devil will see that people speak evil of you never bother let's bow together before the Lord we'll not sing anymore let's just bow together Lord we bow at thy feet we thank thee for the cross work of Calvary we thank thee for the power of the shed blood of Jesus we thank thee for a great act of forgiveness we thank thee Lord for this mighty truth that we're justified by faith alone we thank thee for the terms of the covenant Lord just fill our minds and hearts with these things until we can turn on the devil and really challenge him and we know that this book is true that if we resist the devil he will flee from us if there are any in this meeting Lord that they've been going through nights like these and they're depressed and vexed and upset and round the bend Lord deliver them tonight deliver them because Jesus died for them and get glory to thy name and scatter thine enemies we thank thee for this meeting part us now in thy fear and with thy blessing for thy holy name's sake Amen
(Depressed Disciples) That One Sin
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William “Willie” Mullan (1911 - 1980). Northern Irish Baptist evangelist and pastor born in Newtownards, County Down, the youngest of 17 children. Orphaned after his father’s death in the Battle of the Somme, he faced poverty, leaving home at 16 to live as a tramp, struggling with alcoholism and crime. Converted in 1937 after hearing Revelation 6:17 in a field, he transformed his life, sharing the gospel with fellow tramps. By 1940, he began preaching, becoming the Baptist Union’s evangelist and pastoring Great Victoria Street and Bloomfield Baptist churches in Belfast. In 1953, he joined Lurgan Baptist Church, leading a Tuesday Bible class averaging 750 attendees for 27 years, the largest in the UK. Mullan authored Tramp After God (1978), detailing his redemption, and preached globally in Canada, Syria, Greece, and the Faeroe Islands, with thousands converted. Married with no children mentioned, he recorded 1,500 sermons, preserved for posterity. His fiery, compassionate preaching influenced evangelicalism, though later controversies arose.