PREACHING vs DEBATING
No spiritual good will ever come from debating doctrinal points of view. God never has and never will save or feed His people by debating. God saves His people through the preaching of Christ alone. (I Cor. 1:21) Rather than debate what it means that Christ was made sin for His people, let’s declare there is full remission of sins for God’s elect because Christ took their sin away by His sacrifice for them. Rather than debate the sovereignty of God, let’s declare God, as He has been pleased to reveal Himself in the Bible, who saves whom He will, when He will. Rather than debate when is the moment a man is justified, let’s declare there is justification for sinners in Christ.
Debating never blesses anyone because the goal of debating is the glory of the flesh when we think we have proved our point. Preaching Christ always blesses God’s people because the goal of true preaching is to glorify Christ. May the Lord be pleased to keep our eyes on the ball.
Pastor
If God will be gracious to you, he will make Christ more than the Savior of sinners to your understanding. He will make Christ the Savior of you the sinner.
Pastor Eric Lutter
Trusting God
Most of us don't know God well enough to trust Him. Are you persuaded that God has complete control in reference to the things, which excite our anxiety? Are you persuaded that He will use this control in the best way as far as we are concerned? If I am to cast my cares on Him, I must know Him to be my Father; I must know Him to be my Friend; I must know Him to be my Protector, my Shepherd, my Guide, my Righteousness, and my Salvation.
I must believe His testimony that He loves me for Christ's sake. He careth for you. It's a small thing for God to care for us. He provides for the cattle on a thousand hills, all the wild beasts, an army of birds, fish and insects. Your needs and mine are scarcely a crumb from God's table. If He says, "I will care for you," then He WILL.
Scott Richardson
What is the gospel?
The gospel is a Person! 1 Corinthians 1:23 says, “We preach Christ!” Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
What do we preach about the Lord Jesus Christ that causes it to be the “good news” of the gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 says, “How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
We preach the Lord Jesus Christ crucified. (1 Cor. 2:2) We preach the accomplishment of the cross. (Galatians 6:14) We preach the finished salvation of ALL of God’s elect people, through the blood of the cross. (John 19:30) We preach the grace, mercy, and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ that has been freely given to His people through the redemption of the cross. (Romans 5:24) We preach His glory, His praise, His honor, His worth, His work - everything that is owed to Him!
Pastor Gabe Stalnaker