FROM THE PASTOR'S STUDY

The True Message of Freedom
Is the church still relevant in the 21st century?

Depending on which poll you read, as many as 85% of people in
America claim to be Christians and yet, a much smaller percentage
of this group attend church regularly. In American evangelicalism,
pastors and leaders are busy trying to figure out what new style to
follow; or what mode to follow so that we’ll seem relevant because
if we seem relevant, then maybe we can get people in the pews on
Sunday morning. The truth is that the church is relevant, not because
we have the most exciting worship service or the most dynamic preacher but rather, the church is relevant because of the true gospel message of hope that we’re able to share that addresses the problem of sin that we all struggle with. We know that sin often attracts us like a magnet. Sin appears, at times, to be so inviting and so desirable. Where do we turn for true help so that we can address these desires that we still have for sin?

I was recently re-reading a sermon by 19th century Scottish pastor Thomas Chalmers entitled, The Expulsive Power of a New Affection. This sermon was based on 1 John 2:15. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” In his sermon, Chalmers shows very effectively that we cannot destroy our love for the things of the world merely by pointing to the truth that trusting in the things of the world will ultimately leave us empty. We will love something. We’re made that way. A true break with sin requires that the love and affection that we have for sin be replaced by a new affection. The following quote is from that sermon. “The best way of casting out an impure affection is to admit a pure one; and by the love of what is good to expel the love of what is evil. Thus it is that the freer the gospel, the more sanctifying is the gospel.”  Do you hear what he’s saying? If we want people to continue to put away their sins and seek by God’s grace to live holy lives, we don’t do it by burdening them with guilt; and by telling that there are more things that they need to be doing to be right with God, but rather by preaching free grace. We need to continually remind people of the good news that they’re accepted by God not based on what they do, but what Christ has already done.

Salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-10) is the message that will both save us and free us for holy living! This is the gospel message of free grace, that all of our sin debt, past, present, and future, was nailed to the cross at Calvary (Colossians 2:14). The perfect obedience that we could never accomplish has already been accomplished by Jesus Christ and this perfect life is credited to the account of all those who will turn to him in faith. This is the true message that we need to be proclaiming and it’s still the answer to the sin problem that each of us struggle with daily. When, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we’re truly touched by amazing grace there will be true heart change and this change will be built on the right foundation of gratitude and thankfulness for grace. We don’t need the newest gimmick to get people in the churches. We don’t need to seem relevant; the true gospel message of freedom from the bondage of sin is just as relevant as it has always been. We just need to be faithful to proclaim gospel truth to those whom the Lord is pleased to send in our doors every Sunday morning.
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They who trust
in the LORD are like
Mount Zion, which
cannot be moved, but abides forever

Psalm 125:1 (ESV)