Shane Lems writes:

You’ve probably heard the polls that Mormonism is a fast growing religion in the United States (although the polls don’t say how many are leaving the Mormon ranks).  You’ve probably seen and/or talked to those well dressed, polite Mormon missionaries.  But you may not have read an account by a man who was a “by-the-book” Mormon for 20 years only to leave Mormonism because of its inconsistencies and because of its emphasis on good works for salvation.  This book, Starting at the Finish Line, was written by a man who has that story: John B. Wallace.  He was in many ways a devout Mormon who ended up getting “burned out” by Mormon doctrine and practice.

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Kim Riddlebarger writes:

… the problem many of us face, as former evangelicals, is that … we have been burned by shoddy and unbiblical theology. Many of us are like angry bears, wounded by years of perfectionistic sanctification, and muddled-headed theology. We are angry at those who taught us and we have every right to be! But it is very easy to react in a rage against what is wrong with evangelicalism, and to become overly cynical in the process. While rightly criticizing evangelical theology and its unbiblical Pelagianism, if we are not careful, we risk becoming critical, rude, proud, and obnoxious. When that happens, ironically, we become a stumbling block to non-Christians who need to hear the gospel as well as to those dissatisfied evangelicals seeking a more biblical way of thinking and doing. If not careful, we have nothing good to say about anything or anybody. Too often, we are far more concerned with pointing out the errors of evangelicalism, than we are with seeing men and women come to faith in Christ. This is sin and we must repent of it!

It seems to me that one of the best ways to deal with this, is to make a concerted effort to go back to our own roots as Reformed Christians–the Scriptures and our confessions–and simply ask, what is Biblical evangelism? What are the necessary theological presuppositions we must have in place before we seek to tell others about Christ? How do we go about evangelizing others?

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27 July 2014 — 10 AM Worship

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27 July 2014 — 3 PM Worship

20 July 2014 — 10 AM Worship

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20 July 2014 — 3 PM Worship

Justification and Sanctification

Larger Catechism 77  (paraphrased into modern English)

Q. “In what ways do justification and sanctification differ?”

A. “Even though justification and sanctification are inseparably joined together,
yet they do differ.

In justification, God imputes the righteousness of Christ to us.
In sanctification, his Spirit implants grace in us and enables us to exercise it.

In justification, God pardons our sin.
In sanctification, God subdues our sin.

In justification, God sets all believers equally and perfectly free in this life from the revenging wrath of God so that we will never fall into condemnation.
In sanctification, God’s work is neither equal in all believers, nor is it perfect in any in this life; instead, it keeps growing up to perfection.”

 

How are justification and sanctification alike?

1.      Justification and sanctification are inseparably joined together. There is no such thing as justification without sanctification, nor is there such a thing as sanctification without justification. If you receive one, you also receive the other.

2.      God is the Author and Worker both of justification and of sanctification.

3.      God grants both justification and sanctification as free gifts of his grace in Christ.

How are justification and sanctification different?