Many churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. Too often, Churches are guided by the culture. The "gospels" of a secular culture are no substitute for the Bible.
The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behaviors must be measured. Truth is not in the eye of the beholder, or what you or I may think or like it to be. Real moral truth reflects God’s character, and this does not change.
The Bible is not the only thing you need to know. The Bible, however, is all that is necessary for salvation. Christians must also study and learn all there is to know and experience in this world. However, the doctrine of revelation (all you need to find salvation) is contained in the Bible.
The gospel is God's announcement of saving truth. The Bible must be taught and preached. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preacher’s opinions of ideas of the age. It's all in the Bible. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.
The sinless life of Jesus Christ and His substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father. Our salvation is not founded on "being a good person", or "going to church", or "being on a membership roll" at a church. Nor is it our "sincerity" or "spirituality" that saves us. We are rescued from God’s wrath by His grace alone. New life begins solely with God’s grace. It is not by anything we do or decide. It’s not accomplished by us.
We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God, and for His glory alone. The scripture tells us what God expects of us. Give glory to God first. Church, family, education and patriotism are good things but only have meaning through God.
Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.
I have stuff. You might have more stuff. We all continue to want better stuff. But, is it the right stuff? What stuff does God have for us? Is there a benefit package that comes with following Him?
King David tells us, YES! It’s the real good stuff of God’s Kingdom. Unseen, spiritual stuff. Lasting stuff that really matters.
Mark’s sermon on Sunday, January 18th., titled "We Are In God’s Hand Brother, Not In Theirs", talked about the unseen "benefit package" of God’s Kingdom. This was contrasted to the tangible, material things we spend time and money trying to accumulate in the seen world.
Just turn and receive these blessings from God. God’s benefit package, if you’ll take it, is found in Psalm 103. This was presented by Mark as follows:
Finally, we don’t earn these wonderful benefits. Just turn and receive these blessings from God, by confessing your sin and submitting your will to his authority. Thank God. Praise him and be grateful, and all the right stuff is yours.
Winston Churchhill said, "No victory is ever final, and no defeat is ever fatal."
The three human standards of progress are:
But, have "humans" themselves, really progressed?
Sure, we are now better educated, have more wealth, can acquire power over others, and can be made to look more attractive. However, there is no evidence we are more perfect than any previous generation.
The myth of "human progress" is: there really has been NO progress.
The reasons:
Whatever is not bred in the heart, may have to be remade by God.
On this side of heaven, the best we can strive for is reformation, not
glorification.
Glorification will occur when Christ returns, and all is resolved perfectly and forever.