1. The Sound Gospel must be our priority in life. 2. The Sound Gospel must be our primary tool in counseling. 3. The Sound Gospel should be our governing principle in interpretation.

1. The Sound Gospel must be our priority in life. 2. The Sound Gospel must be our primary tool in counseling. 3. The Sound Gospel should be our governing principle in interpretation.

Acts 11:19-26

We must belong to the church if we want a)to know God’s will and voice, b)to experience God’s special presence and Heavenly Kingdom, c) to receive God’s forgiveness, grace, protection, and assurance, d)God’s signs and gifts, and e) to be under God’s authority and assurance.

1 Peter 2:1-3

The “Glory of God” is the church. A covenant exists now only within the church community. The church is our new family. “Brother” and “sister” are covenant terms. Our greatest gain is the church community.

1 John 4:16

We cannot earn or work our way to salvation. If we receive it, it will only be because of the amazing grace that allows us to enter into a marriage covenant with the King of Kings. The church is portrayed in Scripture as our new family.

Matthew 26:28

Forgiveness of sin is available only in covenant. It requires blood and a mediator. It is always bilateral. It is always amazing in grace.

Matthew 26:28; Romans 8:4

A covenant is a contract between us and God. Forgiveness of sin happens only in covenant. Covenant is always bilateral.

Matthew 18:21-35

Justification is to possess a righteous, redeemed, reconciled, and resurrected state before God.

Romans 3:28-31

1. Definitions of ‘Justification’ 2. Gaining vs maintaining justification, and vice versa 3. What can and cannot be lost.

Matthew 7:24

Justification is to possess a reconciled, righteous, and forgiven state before God. Salvation is to be delivered from God’s eternal wrath (because I have maintained my justification to the end).

Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:21-27

You must make a commitment to Christ as your Supreme Love, Top Priority, and Only Hope of justification and abundant life.

Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:21-27

Only by faith do we GAIN justification; only by faithfulness do we MAINTAIN it.

Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:21-27

Submitting to Jesus means a commitment to Christ of faithful obedience for the rest of your life. Faithful obedience to Christ is always a part of what it means when the Bible talks about faith or belief in Christ.

Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:21-27

We make a commitment to Christ as Master or BOSS of all things. 1) When it comes to issues of salvation, Christ has absolute authority over all we do or say. 2) The idea or concept of God as Master or BOSS is applied to God in the Old Testament. 3) Christians are called slaves in the New Testament. 4) Slave is the term used in the Old Testament to refer to those following God.

2) Jesus is the sinless sacrifice sent to pay for sin; 3) Jesus is the perfect priest who intercedes at the throne in heaven; 4) Jesus is the strong man able to break the power of sin; 5) Jesus is the subject of Old Testament

Jesus is the special Son of God – both fully God and fully man. Unless Jesus is fully God, he cannot grant us Abundant Life. Being fully Man, Jesus has the right to pay the penalty for our sins.

Abundant Life is the goal of the Bible from beginning to end. Our rebellion has forfeited Abundant Life both here in this life and later in the next.

John 10:10

The Sound Gospel is the good news of abundant life in Jesus Christ if we submit to Him as our Lord before Savior in the relationship of covenant. This is the first part, Abundant Life.

Galatians 1:1-9

Five reasons why we must take time to make sure we have the sound gospel. 1) because distortions do exist, yet there is only one correct gospel. 2) because the consequence of getting it wrong is Hell itself. 3) because God will accept NO excuses. 4) because we are commanded to examine the gospel carefully. 5) because the gospel is the Word of God.