Confession on SermonAudio

Part 26 of a Sunday School lecture series through the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (2LCF).

We continue our study of The Lord's Prayer today. Our goal is to know God, we will consider the saints who pray and why they pray. Here our focus is on the person (subject) who is praying and the reasons for prayer (circumstances). Some of these reasons include: adoration, confession, desperation, guidance, confirmation, trepidation, comfort, intercession, petition, and obedience. Old Testament: 1 Samuel 1:9-10 New Testament: Acts 4:23-24, 31

[Sunday School] LBCF 1689 - Chapter 14: Saving Faith

What is baptism? A command, a sign of union with Christ, a mark of his love. Baptism is the mandated public mark of a true Christian. It is not as a means of salvation, however, but a visual drama of redemption that signifies the believer's union with Christ and his or her adoption into the Trinitarian family. The message addresses the deep human desire to belong and be loved, arguing that this longing is only fully satisfied by the secure identity found in Jesus. By referencing C.S. Lewis and personal testimonies, the sermon encourages believers to resist the pressure of the 'inner ring' and instead rest in the assurance that they are loved and marked by God. The central call is for Christians to publicly confess their faith through baptism, acknowledging that their worth and belonging are secured by Christ's work alone.

The sermon examines the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 to clarify the theological relationship between faith and baptism. It argues that baptism is an act of obedience that follows salvation, rather than a work that confers it, emphasizing that salvation is solely by grace through faith in Christ's finished work. The preacher contrasts this biblical order with cultural misconceptions that view religious deeds as necessary for salvation, citing Ephesians 2 and Titus 3 to affirm that human righteousness is insufficient. By highlighting the eunuch's confession of belief prior to his immersion, the message underscores that baptism serves as a public declaration of identification with Christ's death and resurrection. The tone is instructional and corrective, urging listeners to distinguish between the internal work of the Spirit and the external witness of obedience.

• Prioritize corporate worship giving as first-fruits—cheerful, intentional, aligned with gospel mission. • Audit formative "money classroom" influences; confess anxiety/presumption; re-anchor trust in God's sovereignty. • Use budgets and diligence as second causes under God's first cause—to serve faithfulness, not self-sufficiency. • Evaluate spending/giving by eternal criteria: does this cultivate worship, love of neighbor, and kingdom witness? • Practice learned contentment: resist the "more" narrative by setting sufficiency thresholds and generosity goals. • Identify one tangible action this week to align a budget/checking account with heavenly treasure (restore a generosity line item, support a ministry, host a neighbor).

Grace Covenant Baptist Church is a Reformed Baptist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. We are a confessional church subscribing to the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. We adhere to the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation; Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Deo Gloria. Find more information about or listen to past sermons from Grace Covenant Baptist Church at https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/gcbcwm/