Building On The Rock Of The Word Of God

From Author Phillip A. Ross of Pilgrim Platform Books.

See into one man's theology turned rightside up by the love of Christ. A pastor, born again in the pulpit, encounters the world and the church in the light of the gospel — and everything changed.

Crisis of ...

What? The American economy? The Stock Market? Eight years of Bush policies? How about a hundred years of liberal indoctrination!

If we can't see the right problem or see the problem rightly, we cannot find the right solution. If we don't understand the disease, we cannot prescribe a medication. Apart from a proper diagnosis, doing something may be worse than doing nothing. America is in serious denial of her real situation. Seeing the problem, putting the problem in the correct context, is everything.

What Can We Do?

The first thing to do is to see the problem in its proper context, its historical context, its cultural context. That is what these books are about, helping people see the problem from a biblical perspective. However, unrepentant sinners do not want to see what the Bible is trying to show us because the perspective of the Bible threatens them — and rightly so. For the past hundred years or so unrepentant sinners have had increasing control of American public education, media and even religious institutions. People have been steeped in godlessness for so long that they no longer even realize it. These books provide insight and instruction intended to repair the breaches.

In Salvation And Surrender, We Find Our True Joy.

Acts 15:1-35

The Gospel is for all nations. In the Old Testament, we catch a glimpse of this (Genesis 12:1-3; Psalms 96:1-3;100:1; Isaiah 45:22). Here, we have the Gospel made clear. Peter says, ‘We shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus’(11). Paul says, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’(16:31). This is the Gospel: ‘By grace you have been saved through faith’(Ephesians 2:8). Together with the Good News concerning salvation, there is also an ‘exhortation’ to go on with the Saviour (31). In this call to submit to the Lord, we hear the word, ‘abstain’(20,29). Does this sound negative? It is a positive call to be set apart for God- ‘saved... for good works...’(Ephesians 2:8-10). Christ is our Saviour. He is also our Lord. In salvation and surrender, we find our true joy (31).

Acts 15:36-16:40

Notice the importance of prayer in the advance of the Gospel. They were looking for a prayer meeting when Lydia was saved (13-14). They were going to a prayer meeting when the girl was saved (16-18). They were having a prayer meeting when the jailer was saved (25-34). They had gone to Philippi ‘to preach the Gospel to them’(10). Even when they were ‘in chains’, the Gospel proved itself to be ‘the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith’(Ephesians 6:20; Romans 1:16). ‘The Word of God is not bound’. It is ‘living and active’. ‘Sharper than any two-edged sword’, it is ‘the sword of the Spirit’(2 Timothy 2:9; Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17). Do you want people to ask the Salvation question and heed the Gospel answer (30-31)? ‘Pray at all times in the Spirit... with all perseverance’(Ephesians 6:18).

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Blessings in Christ

Christ in all the Scriptures

http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

A Change Of Direction (Acts 2:42)

Christ brings a change of direction into our life.

This change of direction is described for us in Acts 2:42 -“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Christ is preached. We believe the Gospel. We receive salvation. Life is no longer centred upon ourselves. It is centred upon Christ.

"No Longer I But Christ"

We ask the question, “What are we to do?” (Acts 2:37), God gives the answer – “Repent and be baptized.” (Acts 2:38).

We lay our old life before the Lord. We invite Him to come and change us.

He comes in forgiving love. He comes in transforming power.

Once we have put our faith in Christ, everything changes.

“If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation.

Old things have passed away.

Everything has become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me”

(Galatians 2:20).

Three Great Gifts - Jesus, Forgiveness, And The Holy Spirit

Acts 2:38

In Jesus Christ, God’s answer comes to us with the promise of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

* Through faith in Christ, we put the old life behind us.

- Our sins are forgiven. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

* Through faith in Christ, we receive the strength we need to live as men and women who love God.

* Through faith in Christ, we receive the strength we need to maintain our confession of faith – "Jesus Christ is Lord.”

God’s Answer Comes To Us In The Name Of Jesus Christ.

“What are we to do?” – Before we think of what we are to do, we must think about what Jesus Christ has done for us. This is the Good News. Jesus Christ has taken our sins upon Himself. He has died for us so that we might be forgiven by Him.

We must never begin with the call for repentance and baptism. We must always begin with Jesus Christ – “the Son of God loved us and gave Himself for us” (Galatians 2:20).

“What are we to do?” – The first thing we must do is this: we must look away from ourselves to Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

When we turn our eyes on Jesus and keep our eyes fixed on Him, we will never think of our repentance and baptism as ‘good works’ we have done, ‘good works’ by which we make ourselves acceptable to God.

The Name of Jesus Christ is the Name of our salvation. It is in Him that we are called to repentance and baptism. It is through the power of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, that we are able to put the old life behind us and begin the new life of the Spirit.

At the heart of God’s answer to our question, there is “the Name of Jesus Christ.”

In His answer to our question, God speaks to us of repentance and baptism. He speaks of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Above all else, He speaks to us of His Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's Answer Is For Every One Of Us

Acts 2:38

God’s answer is for every one of us. He doesn’t say to some of us, “You need to repent” and then turn to others, saying, “You won’t need to repent. You’re good enough already.”

To every one of us, God says, “Repent and be baptized”. To every one of us, He says, “Leave your old life behind. Step out into the new life with Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord.”

Let God's Answer Change You.

Acts 2:38

The question is asked, “What are we to do?” God’s answer begins with a call for repentance and baptism – “Repent and be baptized.”

If we were to read no further than the words, “Repent and be baptized”, we would miss a great deal of what God is saying to us here.“Repent and be baptized” is only the beginning of God’s answer. We must go on from there. As we read the remainder of verse 38, we learn that

* God’s answer is addressed to every one of us.

* God’s answer comes to us in the Name of Jesus Christ.

* God’s answer comes to us with the promise of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

God's Answer To Our Question

Acts 2:37-38

The question is our question. The answer must always be God’s answer. We ask the question. We cannot give the answer. In ourselves, there is no answer. We are “far off” (Acts 2:39).

We know about our sin, but we cannot give to ourselves the forgiveness of sin.

We know about the emptiness in our lives, but we cannot fill our own hearts with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

We can only come to God in our sin and our emptiness.

We come in our sin, praying for God’s forgiveness. We come in our emptiness, praying that God will fill us with His Spirit.

When we come in our sin and emptiness, God speaks His answer.

Where Does Our Question Come From?

Acts 2:37

Where does our question come from? – It comes from God.

His Word is preached. His Spirit is at work.

Following on from the preaching of God’s Word in the power of God’s Spirit, we read this, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart”. This is where the question comes from. God has put it into our heart. Through His Word and His Spirit, he leads us to ask the question of salvation: “What must I do to be saved?”

Our Question And God's Answer

Acts 2:37-38

The question is our question:

“Brothers, what shall we do?”

* The answer is God’s answer:

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”