Foundation 5: Baptism (Acts 2:37-47)
Now that we have been saved by God’s grace what happens? Baptism in the early church In the book of Acts we have many stories of many different people coming to faith in Christ. The pattern is always the same. Faith is always immediately followed by baptism. The longest delay from regeneration to baptism is Saul. He waited three days, and the first Christian to come to him baptized him. The chain of salvation Salvation in Scripture is a distinct…
Evangelism – Introduction (Part 2)
In light of what we looked at last week concerning election and calling we must conclude that there are elect people in every group under the sun that will definitely respond to salvation because the Holy Spirit will draw them to salvation. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but…
Foundation 4: Regeneration and Assurance (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
What does God’s grace do to a sinner who believes in Jesus Christ? A radical transformation Everything that we were in our flesh before coming to Christ is radically transformed from the inside out by God’s grace. We cease to be what we were, and we are radically transformed. Our soul undergoes such a transformation that although our body remains the same we are literally not the same person we used to be. A new life This radical transformation is…
Evangelism – Introduction (Part 1)
Everything we do stems from our deeply held beliefs. If we are going to be effective witnesses for the Lord we must closely examine what the Bible teaches about salvation and then allow these teachings to affect our evangelism. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be…
Foundation 3: Gospel of Grace (Romans 4:4-5)
As condemned sinners we are unable to do anything to escape the wrath of God. How then can we be saved? What is the Gospel? The Gospel simply means good news. It is not good works, good deed, good morals, or good ethics. The basis of Christianity is good news. It is not something we must do, instead it is something that has already been done. It is not something we do it is something we believe has already been…
Abuse – Child Abuse
What is the difference between discipline and child abuse? And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all…
Foundation 2: Sin is Unbelief (Romans 8:6-8)
We have seen in Scripture that the first foundation of our faith is that there is One God Who is to be loved, feared, and obeyed. Where does the Bible lead us next? We have not loved, feared, and obeyed God The vast majority of the Bible deals with how we have not loved God or obeyed Him. This is sin. We have rejected God, and we do not seek Him. Because of this we are justly deserving of His…
Abuse – Church Discipline (Part 2)
How should the church respond to the abuser? But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.Luke 5:30-32 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor…