MEETING LOCATION Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor 150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Sunday 10 AM Bible Class 11 AM Morning Worship Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service (The first Sunday of each month we meet at 10 AM for morning worship then observe the Lord's Table. After services we have lunch together.)
The Result of Mixing Law and Grace Acts 11: 1: And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God. 2: And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3: Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. Here the apostle Peter stands before his own brethren who contended with him because he ate meat forbidden by God in the law with Gentiles. They did not rejoice in God's grace or in the fact that Christ was exalted; they did not rejoice in the fact that sinners were saved. Their minds were fixed in the opposite direction, on Peter and the letter of the law. That is the result of turning from Christ to the law.
Wherever the law is mixed with grace, men focus on the law; men focus on their imaginary obedience to the law; the congregation examines one another, but no one looks to Christ alone. That is why when Paul was confronted by men who insisted that just one law was yet necessary for believer's salvation he refused. Pay attention to the reason he gave, "that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." (Galatians 2: 5)
When men are turned to the law as a means of sanctification or as a means for righteousness or justification or as way to gain rewards in heaven then the truth of the gospel ceases. If the law is used as motivation to make men obedient or moral then the truth of the gospel ceases. If the observance of a day or abstinence from certain meats is preached as a requirement by God the truth of the gospel ceases. There are many other reasons men give to constrain sinners with the law but the truth of the gospel ceases because that is simply not the truth of the gospel.
Look up the following scriptures in the book of Galatians. This is why the gospel of grace ceases when even just one law is made a must. Gal. 2: 18: It makes men transgressors against God. Gal. 2: 21: It counts the death of Christ vanity. Gal. 3: 3: It makes men think they are made perfect by the work of their flesh. Gal. 3: 10: It binds men under the curse of the law. Gal. 3: 18: It claims God's salvation to be by law instead of by promise. Gal. 3: 24: It claims justification to be by law instead of faith. Gal. 3: 27-29: It divides men against men so that they can never be one with the brethren in Christ and heirs of God's salvation. Gal. 4: 9, 10: It turns men back to the weak and soul-distressing elements of bondage. Gal. 4: 11: It counts the work of God's true messenger's vanity. Gal. 4: 17: It zealously affects men in a wrong way causing them to exclude men who teach salvation by God's free grace in Christ. Gal. 4: 22-25: It makes men count themselves sons of the bondwoman, born of the flesh, servants of Mt. Sinai, bound by law. Gal. 4: 29: It makes men persecutors against believers who are born of the Holy Spirit. Gal. 5: 2-4: It makes Christ of no effect unto men. Gal. 5: 11: It makes the offense of the cross to cease. Gal. 5: 15: It makes men bite and devour one another. Gal. 5: 18: It leaves men under the law, led by their flesh, instead of the Holy Spirit. Gal. 5: 24-25: It makes men unable to crucify the flesh, leaving them vain, combative, and envious. Gal. 6: 3: It puffs men up in self-righteousness when in reality they are nothing and self-deceived. Gal 6: 7, 8: It makes men mockers of God. Gal 6: 13: It causes men to force others to walk after the law so that they can glory in what they constrain other men to do in the flesh. Gal. 6: 14: It makes men to glory in their work instead of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gal 6: 15: It makes men believe that even just one act of law-obedience will profit them something before God.
The truth is that Christ is the believers All--all Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption (I Cor. 1: 30-31.) Believers are complete in Christ--perfectedforever (Col 2:10;Heb 10: 14.) God remembers their sins no more so there is nothing else for the believer to offer. (Heb 10: 17, 18.) It is King Jesus who gave the law that leads the believer, not by sinful carnal rules and reprimands, but by the Holy Spirit of grace and love.
God Is He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End. He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and The Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be... Unmoved, unchanged, undefeated, and never undone! He was bruised and brought healing! He was pierced and eased pain! He was persecuted and brought freedom! He was dead and brought life! He is raised and brings power! He reigns and brings Peace! The world can't understand him, armies can't defeat Him, The schools can't explain Him, and the leaders can't ignore Him. Herod couldn't kill Him, The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and the people couldn't hold Him! Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him, The New Age can't replace Him, and Donahue can't explain Him away! He is light, love, longevity, and Lord. He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God. He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure. His ways are right, His word is eternal, and His will is unchanging. He is my Redeemer, He is my Savior, He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy, He is my comfort, He is my Lord, and He rules my life! I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His yoke is easy, in Him is abundant life. I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, The power of the powerful, The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, The leader of leaders, the overseer of the over comers, and The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come. He will never leave me, Never forsake me, Never mislead me, Never forget me, Never overlook me, and never cancel my appointment in His appointment book! When I fall, He lifts me up! When I fail, He forgives! When I am weak, He is strong! When I am lost, He is the way! When I am afraid, He is my courage! When I stumble, He steadies me! When I am hurt, He heals me! When I am broken, He mends me! When I am blind, He leads me! When I am hungry, He feeds me, when I face trials, He is with me! When I face persecution, He shields me! When I face problems, He comforts me! When I face loss, He provides for me! When I face Death, He carries me home! He is everything for His elect, everywhere, every time, and every way. He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine! So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this... He said it and that settles it. God is in control, "if He be for me who can be against me"? That means all is well with my soul. By Don Bell pastor of Lantana Grace Church in Crossville, Tennessee.
Some have asked why we are no longer posting messages on Free Grace Radio. Our sermons are still posted on Free Grace Radio but you must go to the "speaker page" and click on our church to access them. This merely has to do with the way FGR's hosting site is designed.
New feature in our bulletin: by clicking on the pastor's names below their articles you can visit their respective websites. I hope these features gives you easy access to the gospel of God's grace so that you can spend less time searching and more time rejoicing in the person of our Holy Redeemer and his finished work of redemption.
Remember the Danville Conference is next Friday, August 29th through Sunday, August 31st. I hope as many of you as are able will attend. It will be well worth the trip.
Mark your calendars: we will not have mid-week services September 4th.
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