Founders Baptist Church

Can unbelievers please God in any good that they do- Do random acts of kindness by unbelievers earn merit or favor with God- Can true goodness exist in people who are not motivated by or connected to the saving work of Jesus Christ- --This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot shares that Paul says in the book of Romans that there is none righteous, no not one- there is none that does good. Dr. Philpot also says that Paul says in the book of Titus that unbelievers are not fit for any good work. But this sort of flies in the face of our experience and understanding. We can look around and see numerous unbelieving people who do some seemingly good deeds. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to help us understand this. How can we distinguish the works -good deeds- of unbelievers versus those that are the fruit of the Spirit done by true believers of Christ-

Dr. Philpot states that, at Founders Baptist Church, we seek to be in all things and in every ministry we have, a word-centered church. Being a church that is word-centered finds its basis on a text of Scripture like that of 1 Timothy 3-15, which Dr. Philpot shares. But practically, what does this mean, and what does it look like in the body of Christ- How does the Church uphold the truth based on the analogy given in this text- Listen in this week to the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot talk about what it means to be a word-centered church. They remind us that the Church belongs to God. Therefore, it is God's Word we must use to guide and direct our thinking and understanding of it, for living it out from the pulpit down to every ministry that occurs within an entire congregation.

Introduction--When we follow our Lord's instructions for ministry, opposition is certain to follow.-When we meet with that opposition - that persecution - a temptation is sure to follow.-That temptation is to be afraid of those who would persecute us.-The temptation is to fear men, to fear flesh and blood, instead of honoring our God and trusting in His care for us.-Our Lord is preparing His men for that temptation.-So, in our verses we are looking at five necessary things for us to remember and to practice in order to have our fear rightly focused.-This morning we looked at the first two.-I. WE MUST BELIEVE CHRIST REGARDING FUTURE ILLUMINATION -vs.26--Justice will be served, and Christ's disciples will be vindicated.-II. WE MUST OBEY CHRIST REGARDING PRESENT ILLUMINATION -vs.27--The words of Christ are light, and they must be proclaimed openly.--We begin tonight with a third commitment.-III. WE MUST BELIEVE CHRIST REGARDING COMPARATIVE DANGERS -vs.28--Persecution CAN BE frightening. But we need to remind ourselves of the limits of what human beings can do to us.

Introduction--What does persecution aim at- -Why do the enemies of Christ, the enemies of the gospel, the enemies of the church - threaten the church, attack the church, inflict harm upon the church- -What is persecution aiming at--Persecution does not ALWAYS aim at elimination. -While lost humanity hates the church, it isn't always aiming at martyring the church.-But persecution ALWAYS aims at intimidation.-What makes persecution effective, from the vantagepoint of the persecutor, is that it generates FEAR.-If you don't want to be in trouble.-If you don't want to lose your reputation.-If you don't want to lose your freedom.-If you don't want to lose relationships.-If you don't want to lose your ability to supply for yourself and your family financially.-If you want to live in peace.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to talk with him about the concept of the conscience. Dr. Philpot tells us that he has seen the conscience personified as an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other who whispers into our ears about those things happening inside us, often described as our inner turmoil. But is this the understanding the Bible gives about consciences- What is the conscience, and what is its role, especially in the life of a believer-