Critique of John MacArthur’s recent sermon, “The Damning Deception of Empty Words and Empty Hearts” – https://youtu.be/D1VQLTCEbN4, preached on March 23, 2020. This teaching will critique the the middle part of the aforementioned sermon (10:00 minute mark through 43:20), specifically addressing Matthew 7:13-15, 21-23.
Code to Live By Part 1
Code To Live By PART 1 A mixture of morality and wisdom needful – yet oft-neglected and overlooked, by Christians today. Behavior makes genuine, not feelings. 1.1. A modern problem that seems to be fairly common, is thinking that for something to be genuine, it must be accompanied by feelings that are consistent/congruent with the […]
Forgiving Others
Forgiving Others 1. Why forgiving others is important: Because if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us. (Mat 6:14-15, 18:35; Mar 11:35) 2. What forgiving means: 2.1. To continue loving those who wrong us. (Mat 5:44; Lev 19:17-18; Pro 25:21) To love someone means to treat them in a righteous way (Rom 13:10 […]
Sustainability
Sustainability is the key to success in those areas or responsibilities God has given to us. (Ecclesiastes 11:10) [e.g. As a spouse, parent, employee, Christian, my health, finances, running a business, etc.] When we fail to be successful in those areas God calls us to have success in, our environment becomes “toxic.” Furthermore, it causes […]
Understanding the Cause of Depression
1. Depression (Genesis 4:1-7) 1.1. The difference between depression and sadness or discouragement is that depression is unauthorized feelings of sadness, self-pity, or discouragement. (v. 6) 1.2 What causes depression and is considered “unauthorized”: Unbiblical expectations. (vv. 3-4) (e.g. unbiblical expectations in relation to your job, your life, your marriage, your kids, your relationships, your […]
The Difference Between the Good and the Godly
1. What is the difference between a good person and a godly person? For more questions from this Sunday, see Encouraging Faithfulness in Our Own Lives and the Lives of Others and The Pledge of Allegiance / Ministry / Miraculous Healing / A Parent’s Obligation to Their Unsaved Child.
Encouraging Faithfulness in Our Own Lives and the Lives of Others
1. How do you encourage faithfulness in the lives of others or yourself? As it relates to all human beings, we all live and make choices based on what we believe about God. This means the best way to encourage faithfulness is to remind ourselves and each other what God is really like by asking […]
Belief and Obedience
A) You can obey and go to hell. But you cannot believe and go to hell. vs B) You can believe and go to hell. But you cannot obey and go to hell.
The Greatest Commandment
Matthew 5 – Part 7: Old Testament Authoritative for New Covenant
8. There are many today who think that the obligation to obey the Old Testament Scriptures has been removed (in part or whole) as essential to salvation for the New Covenant Christian[1]. What they fail to consider is not only the content, clarity and consequences of Jesus’ teaching in Mat 5:17-20, but also that: 8.1. […]
Matthew 5 – Part 6: Old Testament Authoritative for New Covenant
8. There are many today who think that the obligation to obey the Old Testament Scriptures has been removed (in part or whole) as essential to salvation for the New Covenant Christian[1]. What they fail to consider is not only the content, clarity and consequences of Jesus’ teaching in Mat 5:17-20, but also that: 8.1. […]
Matthew 5.3 – Old Testament Authoritative for the New Covenant
7. Jesus preserves the entirety of the Old Testament Scriptures as authoritative for God’s people under the New Covenant: 7.1. The OT Scriptures are not to be destroyed but rather observed and obeyed (17)[1] “abolish” = destroy (Mat 26:61, 27:40; Luk 23:2; Act 6:14; Rom 14:20; 2Co 5:1; Gal 2:18); “the Law or the Prophets” […]
Matthew 5.2 – Conditional Identity
6. Jesus asserts that the identity we have gained as God’s people must be maintained through productivity and public witness (again Exo 19:4-6 = Israel’s identity also needed to be maintained – i.e. it was conditional): 6.1. (13) In the ancient world, salt was used as fertilizer for the soil/earth (“earth” = th/j gh/j = […]
Matthew 1.4 – Jesus’ Birth (Matthew 1:18-25)
JESUS’ BIRTH (1:18-25) 1.1. Matthew’s progression from genealogy to how “the birth of Jesus Christ took place” (18) reflects the common practice of his time. Likewise, ancient biographers would also include important details about the person’s mother and father (e.g. Josephus, The Life of Flavius Josephus). This however is more than just Matthew being relevant […]
God’s Sovereignty & Human Responsibility
Refute this statement with biblical support: “God’s law is too hard for anyone who is not perfect or sinless to keep faithfully. Two Truths regarding God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: 1) Our status before God can change. 2) God’s decrees cannot change.
The Doctrine of the Imputation of the Active Obedience of Christ – Part 3
Matthew Introduction – Part 14: The Saving Gospel is a Marriage Covenant
6.4.3. What it is: A marriage covenant The plan of salvation communicated throughout the Bible’s redemptive history is always the same (e.g. Heb 8:5-6 = the “DNA” of God’s redemptive plan remains the same). It involves people entering into a marriage covenant with God[1]. 6.4.3.1. Consider: 6.4.3.1.1. God’s salvation always includes a covenant (Adamic = […]
My Version of A Christmas Carol – The Final Act Part 2
For 3 weeks now, I have been sharing with you My version of A Christmas Carol and that is my intention again this morning; to FINISH my story (or your story as we shall see) as my gift to you this Christmas—a gift to get you thinking about what really matters. Several weeks ago we […]
Galatians 3 – Part 10: Historical and Theological Context in 5 Propositions
1. To be justified means to be in right standing with God; to be spiritually clean and forgiven; to be a child of God; to be a child of Abraham. 2. Under the Old Covenant (OC), the means of justification was through observing the clean laws (i.e. circumcision, animal sacrifice, Sabbath rest and washings related […]