When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28-29"Read the complete study.
"The deadly danger of moralism has been a constant temptation to the church and an ever-convenient substitute for the Gospel. Clearly, millions of our neighbors believe that moralism is our message. Nothing less than the boldest preaching of the Gospel will suffice to correct this impression and to lead sinners to salvation in Christ."
"We often speak of various aspects of our lives in terms of constructing a house or a building. We point to a successful businessman and say “he built his business from the ground up”. We describe a couple faithfully married for years as having “built a wonderful life together”. We portray a leader in government as someone who has “built a political career”. In the closing words of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes building something of infinitely greater importance – our spiritual lives."
September / October 1994 issue of Modern Reformation
Jason Robertson at the Fide-O Blog
Brief video by Marvin Olasky
"Knowing that the Gospel is the wisdom and power of God, and the only possible means by which fallen man can obtain peace with God—he (the mature Christian) most cordially embraces and avows it. Far from being ashamed of it—he esteems it his glory. He preaches Christ Jesus, and Him crucified. He disdains the thought of distorting, disguising, or softening the great doctrines of the grace of God, to render them more palatable to the depraved taste of the times (2 Corinthians 4:2). And he will no more encounter the errors and corrupt maxims and practices of the world, with any weapon but the truth as it is in Jesus—than he would venture to fight an enraged tiger with a paper sword!"In political discussions perhaps you have heard the labels thrown about, usually in a derogatory fashion, of “RINO” (REPUBLICANS IN NAME ONLY) or “DINO” (DEMOCRATS IN NAME ONLY). They are used to refer to members who do not genuinely hold to the ideas, platform, or philosophies of the party but maintain their affiliation for personal reasons or political expediency.
In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus has some challenging words for those who are "CHRISTIANS IN NAME ONLY”. He speaks of those who claim to be believers yet do not have a genuine relationship with Him. Here Jesus presents one of the most fearful statements found anywhere in His teachings:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
"The calm, dispassionate, charitable, and conscientious exercise of your political rights, without sectarian bitterness, and party animosity, in such measure as does not interfere with your own personal religion, and in such manner as does not wantonly injure the feelings of those who are opposed to you; which does not take you too much from your closet, your family, and your shop; if indeed you can thus exercise your rights, is quite lawful for you as professors. These rules and restrictions, however, must be imposed; for, without them, the subject will be sure to do you harm. A Christian must carry his religion into everything, and sanctify everything he does by it. "Whatever he does, he must do all to the glory of God." Everything must be done religiously, done in such a manner that no one shall say justly, "this is contrary to his profession." His politics must form no exception to this. Even in these he must be guided by conscience, and his conscience by the word of God. He must look well to his motives, and be able to appeal to the Searcher of hearts for their purity. If his attention to these matters, be such as to flatten his own devotional spirit, take him off from his religious duties, or diminish seriously the power of godliness and the vigor of faith; if it fills his imagination, make him restless, uneasy and anxious, disturbing the calmness of his religious peace and comfort—if it interferes more with his business than is good for his worldly prosperity, or with his family more than is consistent with his obligations to instruct and benefit them, if it injures his charity, and fills his bosom with ill-will and hatred to those who differ from him; if it leads him into political associations, and places him upon committees; if it make him looked up to as a leader and champion of a party; if it causes his pious friends to shake their heads and say, "I wish he were not quite so political," we may be very sure, and he may be sure too, that although it is not easy to fix with precision the boundary that separates right from wrong on this subject—he has passed the line, and is on dangerous and unlawful ground."Read entire message at Grace Gems.
