Always Reforming

Legalistic. Licentious. Judgmental. Worldly. These are just some of the censorious terms tossed around when Christians discuss ethical standards.  The pendulum seems to swing between extremes.  Some people want to condemn you straight to hell for any failure to obey God's Word (or, usually, for any failure to abide by their own interpretation if it), while others use God's grace as an excuse for their sin. As is normally the case, the truth is somewhere in the middle.  The Bible proclaims God's grace for those who repent of their sin, assuring the penitent that there is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus Christ, but we are warned against  abusing  the grace of God and we are unambiguously called to live in a way that is consistent with our calling as Christians.  That means that, for the Christian, "this won't send me to hell" is not a valid excuse for indulging in behavior that is dishonoring to God.  Christians don't look for...

John 3:16-18: God Reconciling the World to Himself 1.       Introduction a.      We finished Colossians last week.  Next time we’ll start a new series. b.     I think John 3:16 has almost become cliché. c.      Reformed Christians seem to avoid this passage unless we’re trying to dispute what other people believe about it.  Have you ever heard a sermon on it?  We need to go back to the basics periodically, and we’ll find they’re very deep.  d.     John 3:16 is so simple, and yet so profound.  MH: “Here is the Gospel indeed, good news, the best that ever came from heaven to earth.” e.      Because everyone knows this verse, we often hear it or read it without thinking about it.  We rob ourselves of the richness of this passage. We need to stop and meditate.  f.       Prayer 2.    ...