A lot of things happened this week. It’s hard to take it all in: a pandemic that is ongoing, efforts to reopen businesses, disbelief that there really is a pandemic, police actions that lead to another death, riots popping up across the country, wholesale mob destruction of cities, and the U. S. Supreme Court ruling enforcing punitive restrictions on the number of persons attending churches in California. Yes, punitive is the proper word for it. Courthousenews.com reported the late-Friday night (May 29th) ruling. As Pastor Josh put it, “We are seeing things go the wrong way. The devil is working overtime. But, God is in charge. Don’t forget that.”
“Several hundred years ago God saw fit to allow man to write an incredible document called the Constitution. Now we are seeing restrictions on the number of people who can come to church. Yet, this same U. S. Supreme Court does not put restrictions on the number of abortions. I have a problem with that.” spoke our pastor at the opening of this Sunday’s sermon.
“You have to live like Christ to go to heaven. Regardless of how much I do, I cannot save myself. Thank God there’s a universal savior and he’s coming again.” First Timothy 4:10 tells us “…we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” Why a universal savior? It’s because of universal sin. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) None of us are worthy to stand before God.
Once sin is acknowledged, universal guilt it shared with all mankind. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10) We all share in what was once called the Doctrine of Depravity which basically states that after the fall man is inclined to serve his own will and desires rather than serve God. Sin, guilt, and then the offering of universal forgiveness which is available for all. “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (I John 2:1) Which leads to universal redemption: Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only but also for the whole world (I John 2:2). God’s plan includes the whole human race.
But it doesn’t end there. Sin acknowledged, guilt confessed, forgiveness administered, and redemption bestowed. The old, corrupt self is renewed in the spirit of the mind and the new man is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24). And the universal call is set into motion. It’s what sets us apart from other organizations out there. Telling and sharing the old, old story of Jesus and his love. “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalms 117)
God so loved the world that He has offered a universal plan that is open to everyone, no exemptions, no one left out. A day of reckoning is coming, a day when the books will be tallied, a day of universal judgment, a day when everyone will stand before God and make an accounting. It’s in Acts 17:30 and 31. God has winked at ignorance but now the command to repent has come to all men every where. A day has been appointed that God will judge the world. Be prepared for it.
“Several hundred years ago God saw fit to allow man to write an incredible document called the Constitution. Now we are seeing restrictions on the number of people who can come to church. Yet, this same U. S. Supreme Court does not put restrictions on the number of abortions. I have a problem with that.” spoke our pastor at the opening of this Sunday’s sermon.
“You have to live like Christ to go to heaven. Regardless of how much I do, I cannot save myself. Thank God there’s a universal savior and he’s coming again.” First Timothy 4:10 tells us “…we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” Why a universal savior? It’s because of universal sin. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) None of us are worthy to stand before God.
Once sin is acknowledged, universal guilt it shared with all mankind. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10) We all share in what was once called the Doctrine of Depravity which basically states that after the fall man is inclined to serve his own will and desires rather than serve God. Sin, guilt, and then the offering of universal forgiveness which is available for all. “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (I John 2:1) Which leads to universal redemption: Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only but also for the whole world (I John 2:2). God’s plan includes the whole human race.
But it doesn’t end there. Sin acknowledged, guilt confessed, forgiveness administered, and redemption bestowed. The old, corrupt self is renewed in the spirit of the mind and the new man is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24). And the universal call is set into motion. It’s what sets us apart from other organizations out there. Telling and sharing the old, old story of Jesus and his love. “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalms 117)
God so loved the world that He has offered a universal plan that is open to everyone, no exemptions, no one left out. A day of reckoning is coming, a day when the books will be tallied, a day of universal judgment, a day when everyone will stand before God and make an accounting. It’s in Acts 17:30 and 31. God has winked at ignorance but now the command to repent has come to all men every where. A day has been appointed that God will judge the world. Be prepared for it.
