Sin

The Completion Of Redemption In Creation

A Must Watch!

Repentance Everyday, All Day Long: Tornadoes, Lutherans and Homosexuality

Confronting Error With Condemnation By John MacArthur - Part 1

How would you describe Jesus to someone who has never heard the Gospel before? Would you start with His miracles? The virgin birth? His sacrifice on the cross? You probably wouldn't start by describing His conflicts with the Pharisees. In fact, thats not a part of Christ's life and ministry that we hear much about these days. The popular image of Jesus today is passive and peaceful, but that doesn't begin to capture the full picture of what God's Word says about His Son.

Luke Warm And Loving It!

I Tried To Get Saved But It Did Not Work By Tim Conway

"Faith, if it is to be sure and steadfast, must lay hold upon nothing else but Christ alone, and in the conflict and terrors of conscience it has nothing else to lean on but this precious pearl Christ Jesus. So, he who apprehends Christ by faith, although he be terrified with the law and oppressed with the weight of his sins, yet he may be bold to glory that he is righteous. How? Even by that precious jewel Christ Jesus, whom he possesses by faith."

- Martin Luther

A Prayer For Mercy

“The Lord reveal himself more and more to us in the face of his Son Jesus Christ and magnify the power of his grace in cherishing those beginnings of grace in the midst of our corruptions, and sanctify the consideration of our own infirmities to humble us, and of his tender mercy to encourage us.

And may he persuade us that, since he has taken us into the covenant of grace, he will not cast us off for those corruptions which, as they grieve his Spirit, so they make us vile in our own eyes.

And because Satan labors to obscure the glory of his mercy and hinder our comfort by discouragements, the Lord add this to the rest of his mercies, that we may not lose any portion of comfort that is laid up for us in Christ.

And, may he grant that the prevailing power of his Spirit in us should be an evidence of the truth of grace begun, and a pledge of final victory, at that time when he will be all in all, in all his, for all eternity. Amen.”

— Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed

You Love Human Praise, Not The Glory Of God By John Piper

Your Life, Witness, And Testimony By Tim Conway

Life In The Spirit, Heirs With Christ, Future Glory, And God's Everlasting Love

Romans 8

Life in the Spirit

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Heirs with Christ

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Future Glory

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Seeing The Glory Of Christ Changes Us By John Piper

If My Words Abide In You - Scripture Memory By John Piper

The Murder Of God's Son - Part 2 - By John MacArthur

Jesus Is Lord By Tim Conway

John Piper - On The Day The World Fell, God Started The Repair

Bear One Another’s Burdens

Galatians 6

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen."

The Murder Of God's Son - Part 1 - By John MacArthur

What Does It Mean To "Be Saved, But Only As Through Fire?"

Sharing The Reformed View Of The Gospel

Is This You?

From The Reformed Stooge:



2 Corinthians 13

Final Warnings
1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— 3since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

5Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 7But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. 10For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Final Greetings
11Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you.

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

John Piper - The Protestant Work Ethic

Want Your Church To Grow? Confront Sin!

"...We’re going to flourish. We’re going to grow. More people are going to come. More people are going to come to know Christ. And that was the expectation. It was my expectation.

But at the very beginning, my thoughts were not about how can we make this church grow? How can we get more people in this building? How can we fill up the empty seats, the few that existed, if any, in the chapel? How can we draw people in? How can we make the church attractive? I never really had thoughts like that at all.

In fact, when I came to Grace Church, there was one prevailing thing that settled into my mind and it was a text of Scripture that deeply concerned me, found in Matthew chapter 18.

“And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax gatherer. Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst.”

...I asked some pastors about that passage and if they ever applied it or ever implemented it or knew anybody that did. To which I received universal “NO”. No one did it. No one knew anyone who did it. But I said, “This is the initial instruction to the church. This is where the word “church” shows up in Matthew 18. This is our Lord’s priority concern for the church, that the church be dealing with sin within its own members. If it is the first word of the Lord of the church to the church, then it is not something at the end of the list, it is at the beginning of the list which makes it top priority. How is it that you can read it, understand it and not implement it?

I was told by men much older than myself and much wiser than myself that if I tried to do this at Grace Church, if I tried to lead a church to do what it says in this passage, I would empty the place...I would empty the place. People wouldn’t stand for that. I was told, “Do you think you can have people in your church walk up to other people in your church and confront their sin without driving them away? Do you think you could possibly get a little group of people to go after a sinning believer without frightening everybody out? And you certainly don’t believe that you can announce someone and their sin to the whole congregation and anybody would show up the next week. You just can’t do it. And if you’re concerned about church growth, and if you’re concerned about adding people to the church, forget that.”

But I was reminded of the fifth chapter of Acts. And I want you to look at the fifth chapter of Acts, for a moment. And it’s a story about a man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, famous names. They were in the church and they sold a piece of property and kept back, verse 2, some of the price, Ananias did, for himself with his wife’s full knowledge.

Now he didn’t have to sell the property, but he had the freedom to decide to sell the property so he decided to sell the property. He had every right to keep whatever he wanted for himself. There’s no mandate from God to sell your property, nor is there a mandate from God to give all of what you get for your property to the church. So he was making choices.

But verse 2 says, “Bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the Apostles’ feet. And Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? After it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.’” What was the lie? Obviously this man had said, “I am giving everything to the Lord. I’m giving everything I received out of this transaction to the church. I’m bringing everything and laying it at the Apostles’ feet for the work of the gospel in the beginning of the church.”

He didn’t have to sell it, Peter says. And you didn’t have to give it all. And you didn’t have to lie either. You haven’t lied to men, you’ve lied to God. “And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last.”

Wow! Dropped dead in front of the whole church. Who killed him? God killed him. “And great fear came on all who heard of it.” Of course, that is a great way to keep people out of the church. Don’t go there, people die. This is like Jim Jones and the Kool Aid. You don’t want to have anything to do with that organization, people die in there. Verse 6 says, “The young men arose and covered him up. And after carrying him out, they buried him.” Jews didn’t embalm. You died, they buried you.

Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours and his wife came in. Several things interesting about that. Church went on well over three hours. This is a wondrous thing, I’m living in the wrong era. Second thing, his wife shows up three hours late. And as she’s walking in, they’re carrying her husband out. Peter responded to her and now we find out what they did.

“Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price. She said yes, that was the price.” The price was far more than that, of course, and they had kept the portion. Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold the feet of those who have carried your husband are at the door and they shall carry you out as well. And she fell immediately at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead and they hurried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.”

What is the Lord trying to do? Is He trying to prevent the church from growing? Why in the world would the first instruction given to the church in Matthew 18 not be some kind of instruction that makes it a warm and fuzzy environment that people might like to come to? Why is it that at the very outset in the very first church in Jerusalem, the Lord does such a dramatic thing as execute two people who lied to Him right in front of the church so that everybody knows you can die in that place? That is not exactly putting out the welcome mat.

I was grappling with these passages. But there’s a very important verse that follows in chapter 5, verse 13. “But none of the rest dared to associate with them, however, the people held them in high esteem.” One of the objectives of the church is to make the church’s commitment to holiness so crystal clear that on their own, people don’t join. This has been turned on its head in our society and our brand of evangelicalism. One of the objectives of the church is to be so committed to holiness, so committed to purity, so committed to virtue, so committed to righteousness and that that is so clear, and so obvious, and so open that people who are not interested in that won’t show up. This is the absolute opposite of the contemporary approach to hide our commitment to righteousness, hide our commitment to holiness, hide our commitment to virtue so that nobody will at all think we aren’t the most loving, accepting, open, embracing people on the planet. Just the absolute opposite.

You say, “Well how in the world is the church going to grow?” Verse 14, “And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number.”

So you want to do church growth, do you? Here’s the strategy. Here’s the plan. You would like a church, wouldn’t you, like verse 14? Wouldn’t that be the model church for the modern Evangelical Movement? That ought to be their verse. All the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number.

How do you make that happen? Oh, have God kill a few people at the offering, become vocally, verbally, visibly concerned about holiness. Be so righteous and so committed to obedience to the Word of God that no one on his own will join. And then what will happen is the Lord will add to the church. And that’s the way the church grows legitimately. The Lord adds to the church.

Go back to chapter 2 and verse 47, end of the verse. “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” The church is a group of people who have been...what?...saved. It is not a place that accommodates the unsaved. It is the place that looks like THE most to be avoided if you are unsaved. It is not a place designed to make the unsaved feel welcome and feel comfortable.

...The first time I met with a group of elders here, they posed a question to me about doing a wedding in the church. It was a wedding of a daughter of a very, very prominent family, serving in many capacities in the church. Their daughter was getting married, I recall, to an older divorced man, not a believer. And I said I can’t do that. I can’t marry a believer to a non-believer. To which someone replied, “Well that’s going to offend them.” I said, “Well, I feel badly about that but there’s somebody else I’m more concerned about offending and that’s the Lord of the church. I can’t do that.” To which one of the men responded by saying, “Well, okay, I understand that, that’s a conviction you have so what we’ll do is you don’t have to do the wedding but we’ll have it here, that will make them feel better.” And I remember saying, this is the first meeting, I said, “Is this your church? It’s not my church, is it your church? Who’s church is it?” To which the same person replied, “It’s the Lord’s church.” I said, “Maybe we ought to do what the Lord wants done in His church. I can’t do it and it can’t be done here at all because it’s wrong, to mix a believer with an unbeliever clearly in Scripture.”

That was a watershed moment. I said, “If this is Christ’s church and it’s going to honor Christ and He’s going to build His own church His way, then we have to be committed to obedience to His Word.” It wasn’t long before we started to discuss the matter of church discipline as laid out in Matthew 18. Let’s go back to Matthew 18. And I was warned, I really was warned that this was going to be the end not only of this church experience, but that I’d probably never get another church because once I destroyed this church by the conviction that I had to follow this pattern, nobody else would touch me. I would become a ministerial pyorrhea.

But I just couldn’t understand how you could preach against sin and not implement something so obvious. It just seemed to me that you couldn’t convince people that you were serious about sin if all you did was preach against it. I mean, you could try to convince them that you were serious. I mean, you could give illustrations and you could work yourself up and you could go through the Bible and give God’s view of sin, but if you wouldn’t implement it in the church the way the Bible tells you to implement it, how in the world were people going to believe that you were genuinely serious about it?" - John MacArthur, Excerpt From "The Childlikeness Of Believers: Confronting Sin"

If you would like to read the entire sermon, please click the title at the top of this page.