“Why can’t we all just get along?”
- Why can’t we find the things that we share in common as brothers and sisters in Christ and work together? We agree on so many things. Why can’t we minister to the world from this common ground that we share? It just makes sense. Why draw denominational or doctrinal distinctions?
- Do you know what is so absurd about that rationale? We disagree with them on the things that the Apostle Paul tells us are “of first importance.”
- It is true that as the liberal, false teachers point out, we do have much in common. But what we do not have in common is what the Apostle Paul delivers to us as the things “of first importance.” Think about it. The issue is not the common things, but the great divide on who Jesus Christ is, exactly what he has accomplished at the Cross of Calvary and the authoritative voice of the word of God. The distinction should not be drawn by what we have in common but by the huge, glaring differences in our beliefs on Jesus Christ and the word of God.
- I heard on the radio again this past week a liberal church in the area: “Come join us for Easter and celebrate with us the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
- Face value that may sound okay. We have that in common with that church. We too next week are going to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- But that is where the common ground ends because we will connect that resurrection to Christ’s death for our sins which they no longer believe is of first importance. And we will connect his resurrection with his literal, physical death according to the Scriptures. And we will not come up with various theories that explain away the authoritative instruction of the Word of God concerning sin. We will connect this celebration to Jesus Christ dying for our sins, my sins, your sins, redemption by his blood for the forgiveness of sins.
- And we will connect our celebration with the physical, bodily resurrection of our Lord and his appearance to over 500 people according to the Scriptures. And we will continue to hold the absolute authority of the teaching of God’s word that this resurrection provides the only way of salvation, the only way for us to go to the Father. The only way. That there is no other name to call on, no other religion that escapes the tentacles of some form of works salvation formed by and based upon the reasoning of sinful, fallen man.
- So, yes, we are very narrow in our view of salvation. Our Lord tells us this morning to: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Message Title: Build on the Rock!
Message Text: Matthew 7:13-29
