11/11/12
“Continue In The Faith”
|
Scripture Reading: I Timothy 4:6-16
One of the most important things in the Christian life is the matter of assurance. A Christian should be able to say with a joyous heart “I am saved for eternity. And my salvation is based, not upon my feelings, but upon the work that Christ did on my behalf at Calvary.”
But the reality is that many, many Christians are not sure they’re saved. So, they pray the salvation prayer over and over in hopes of getting a feeling that they are saved; all the while they are living apart from the wonderful security they already have in Christ. And, instead of knowing that the work of Christ is sufficient for them, they battle with sin and guilt and self-condemnation. Folks, assurance grows. It grows as you learn to trust the LORD more completely. It grows as you learn the truths of the Bible. My personal experience with people has been this. Those who attend the House of God and learn the Bible and the ways of God do sometimes struggle and fall into sin. But they have learned to confess and so, they move ahead spiritually as time goes by. On the other hand, those who are not growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ; and who don’t sit under the teaching of Scripture often live the “up and down” Christian life; something that can never be enjoyed. If anything, the Christian life becomes a chore and a difficulty that even may appear impossible to live and enjoy. Yet, the more you bring your heart and mind under the teachings of the Bible, the more you find both assurance of your salvation and the joy of your faith. |
My hope today is to turn your attention to another aspect of walking with the LORD; one that is so encouraging, so uplifting and so strength-filling that I honestly don’t know how some Christians live without it. It’s what theologians call “the perseverance of the Saints.” And it’s found right here in the Scriptures. Please take your Bible with me and open to the Book of Colossians at chapter one.
I’ve titled today’s sermon “Continue In The Faith.” Shall we pray? Please follow along in your Bible at Colossians 1:21. (21) “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;…” Last Sunday we considered “God’s Goals Are Good For You.” And, we discovered the message of verses twenty-one and twenty-two. And I hope you saw with me that what the Bible teaches is this. Once, in the days before we came to Christ, we were alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works, even though we tried our best to do good things. And we read in verses twenty-one and twenty-two “The three remarkable adjectives: holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God’s sight.” It is these three characteristics that are now attributed to each and every Believer in Christ. |