Sunday Sermonette

May 26, 2013 What Is Sin? "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) The Bible warns that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), and "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20). These are strange days, however, and there are many "that call evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20). Who is to say what is right and wrong, when even our U.S. Supreme Court implies that there are no absolutes? God is the one who defines sin because it is He who will judge sin. The definition is multifaceted, for sin takes many forms. Most basically, as our text says, sin is the transgression of the law--not just certain laws, but all of God's law. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). But there must be more than just formal obedience to God's commands, for "all unrighteousness is sin" (1 John 5:17). Furthermore, there are sins of omission, as well as sins of commission. "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). When there is no specific law or command to guide our actions in a particular situation, the principle to follow is that of faith--that is, the confident inward assurance that we are doing that which honors the Lord, for "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). There is much more that could be noted, but it is clear that no one could ever measure up even to these demands, "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). All of us deserve the wages of sin, "but God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Now "the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. . . . Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ" (Romans 3:21-22). HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday Sermonette

May 19, 2013 Judging Error "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Romans 16:17-18) In order to mark and avoid those professing Christian teachers and leaders who are promoting doctrinal heresy (thus causing divisions among Christian believers), it is obvious that we must exercise sound biblical discernment and judgment. This judgment must be based on "the doctrine which ye have learned" from God's word. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). Such decisions are not to be based on supposed scholarship, tolerance, or eloquence, for such teachers "by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Instead, we must know and apply God's word, the Holy Scriptures. We must be like the Bereans, who, when they heard new teachings, "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). It is sadly true today that many who call themselves Christians have compromised with the pseudo-scientific worldview of evolutionary humanism that controls all secular schools and colleges, hoping thereby to avoid the "offence of the cross" (Galatians 5:11), and to remain on good terms with "the princes of this world" and "the wisdom of this world" (1 Corinthians 2:6). They do this for their own personal gain or prestige, however, not serving Christ, "but their own belly" (Romans 16:18). Those who are simple Bible-believing Christians are, therefore, not to be deceived by their "good words," but to "mark" and avoid them. HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Mother's Day Sunday Sermonette

May 12, 2013 The Elect Lady "The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth." (2 John 1) The Greek word for "lady" (kuria) is used only two times in the Bible, and both of these occurrences are here in the one-chapter epistle of 2 John. It is also fascinating to note that kuria is the feminine form of kurios, which is the Greek word for "Lord." Evidently this "elect lady" was a special woman, very highly esteemed by the apostle John as a capable and conscientious mother to her children. It is uncertain however, whether this distinguished lady was a literal mother in the church with literal children or possibly a metaphor for the church itself, with the "children" its individual members. Good reasons can be given for both interpretations, and it may even be that John wrote his letter with this dual meaning in mind under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In either case, it is significant that this mother is called "lady" instead of the much more frequently used "woman" (Greek gune), or even "mother" (Greek meter). The Greek kuria was evidently used to stress deep respect and honor to such a mother in the church. She clearly was training her children in "the truth," much as Timothy's mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, had brought him up to have "unfeigned faith" in "the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15). In addition to faith in God's truth, of course, there should be genuine love. The second use of kuria is in verse 5: "And now I beseech thee lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another" (2 John 5). HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday Sermonette

May 5, 2013 Results of Religious Compromise "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD." (2 Chronicles 19:2) Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah who faithfully served the Lord, but he made the tragic mistake of forming an alliance with ungodly king Ahab of Israel in fighting against their common enemy Syria. After all, he reasoned, they were "brothers," both descended from Abraham, so they could join together in battling the Syrians. As a result, although God continued to bless Jehoshaphat during his lifetime, this compromise eventually resulted in great tragedy in his family when his son and successor, Jehoram, married Ahab's wicked daughter, Athaliah, and then slew all his own brothers, and soon he himself died of a loathsome disease (2 Chronicles 21:4, 6, 19). The road of compromise eventually ends in a precipice, especially in matters regarding the integrity of God's word and His saving gospel. The timeless principle for Christians today is given in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? . . . or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" This warning and command is at least as greatly needed today as it was in Paul's day. Spiritual, moral, and religious compromise seem to be endemic in the Christian realm today, in both doctrine and practice, and God would warn us that tragedy is imminent in the generation of our children, if not before. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing" (2 Corinthians 6:17). HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH