Christians are not to show partiality based on external circumstances. Doing so undermines the Gospel in several ways: 1) it acts as if God is partial based on external circumstances, when God shows no partiality, 2) it acts as if external circumstances make one more acceptable in God’s sight, 2) it acts as if what one offers by way of external circumstances compensates for one’s offenses against God, and 4) it acts as though external circumstances were more glorious than Jesus. To listen to this sermon, please click on the following link: James 2:1-7.
Jesus has called us to repent of our sins and believe the Gospel. He has called us to repent of our sin of reject His lordship. Jesus is Lord. Thus, we are to be those who not only believe the truth that we have heard about Jesus being Lord, we are to live as if Jesus is Lord. James speaks of this when he calls us to be doers of the word and not hearers only. The Bible was given to us for a purpose: to tell us what God wants of us in order that we may do what God wants of us. Though we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ’s atonement, our repentance was necessary because it was sinful and damnable to fail to live under His Lordship. Thus, it is right that we no longer live in the manner that made Jesus’ death necessary for our justification. We are to submit to our Lord and be a doer of His word. To listen to this sermon, please click on the following link: James 1:22-27.
The truth is that we are all sinners. We have all sinned against God and have earned punishment for our sin. Since we have sinned against God, it is right that God punish us for our sins. Therefore, we are people who need to be saved – and we need to be saved from God. If we are not saved from God, we will justly suffer the punishment that God must pour out on the unrighteous. This is a terrible state that we are in by nature and apart from Christ! Yet, God set His love on us and sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to suffer the punishment that our sin had earned us. Our sins were placed on Jesus and He was punished as if He had committed all the sin of all who would believe – though He truly had committed no sin. He suffered in the place of believers. By His death and perfect righteousness we are justified. Thus, in sending Jesus as our substitute sufferer, God saved us from Himself – He saved us from His wrath. This gift of salvation is made ours through faith alone. So all today are urged to heed to words of Jesus: “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). All this is commonly called The Gospel – and it truly is good news! To listen to this sermon, please click on the following link: Romans 3:19-26.