Sermons and Biblical Studies

1 CORINTHIANS 2:10–12 For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10). While anyone can recite the Scriptures, understand complex theological concepts, even see the reasonableness of Christ’s teaching, true Christian knowledge, what Paul calls the wisdom of God, is much more. The natural man (1 Cor. 2:14) does … Continue reading “THE SPIRIT OF GOD”

1 CORINTHIANS 2:1–5 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Cor. 2:4). The beginning of chapter 2 reiterates a theme from the first chapter: the power of the simple preaching of the pure Gospel. As Paul stated before, … Continue reading “PERSUASIVE WORDS?”

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30–31 “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31). The first chapter of 1 Corinthians concludes with a reminder of who you are in Christ and the benefits you have received by His grace alone. “Your conversion or saving union with Christ is not due to yourselves,” Hodge wrote. … Continue reading “GLORY ONLY IN THE LORD”

JOHN 6:22–58 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:44). The Reformed or Augustinian doctrine of election is grounded in the fact that man is so sinful, so depraved in his fallenness, that apart from the irresistible … Continue reading “MAN’S TOTAL DEPRAVITY”

ROMANS 8:1–17 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). One of the most common objections to the doctrine of election is that it “violates man’s free will.” To answer this, we must look at man’s ability to choose … Continue reading “MAN’S FREE WILL”

ROMANS 9 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Rom. 9:16). Throughout church history the debate concerning predestination has raged among three views: Pelagianism, semi-Pelagianism, and Augustinianism. Pelagianism maintains that God’s grace assists fallen man in redemption but is not necessary to … Continue reading “ALL OF GRACE”

1 CORINTHIANS 1:26–29 God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty (1 Cor. 1:27). The calling Paul speaks of in verses 26–29 is another term for conversion, for the effectual call of God to salvation. It does not mean a profession, station, or vocation like … Continue reading “AN UNEXPECTED CALLING”

JOHN 10:1–30 “… I lay down My life for the sheep …” (John 10:15). Many people believe that Christ died for the salvation of every person who has ever lived and ever will live. Such a supposition, however, is contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture. Christ Himself makes that clear when He said, “I … Continue reading “A PARTICULAR SACRIFICE”

MARK 10:35–45 “… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). As Christ prepared to he crucified, He declared the purposes of His ministry: “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to … Continue reading “A RANSOM FOR MANY”

PHILIPPIANS 3 … they are enemies of the cross of Christ … (Phil. 3:18) To understand sin as a debt, crime, and enmity, we must introduce three actors in the drama of redemption: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and man the sinner. First, to consider sin as a debt, we need to see … Continue reading “DEBT, CRIME, AND ENMITY”