Restoration Church

Pastor Daniel walks us through key biblical principles related to worship, noting that everyone worships. The issue is Who or what they worship. Romans 1 serves our primary text, though we address several other texts, especially John 4 in which Jesus reminds us what is seen in Scripture as a whole: that truth and spirit are both critical to faithful worship.

This sermon is about the command to make disciples. Pastor Dan addresses Matthew 28:18-20 and talks about how discipleship is comprehensive. We are to make disciples, not just converts. However, disciple-making begins with repentance and faith. We are to proclaim the gospel and call unbelievers to repentance and faith (Acts 2). Further, we address biblical methodology related to evangelism. When we delight in God and honor Christ as Lord, the fear of men decreases and boldness for the gospel abounds (Acts 4:20)!

Other Resources:

• Apologetics course from Underground Seminary.

• Expository Apologetics by Voddie Baucham

• Evangelism videos from Apologia Radio

Pastor Daniel teaches on Romans 8 and addresses how in trial, persecution, and struggles with sin, God is the one who helps us in our weakness, intercedes for us in prayer, and has saved us by His eternal decree.

By the way, Romans 8 definitively shows that salvation cannot be “lost.” However, this brought up the question of Revelation 3:5-6 and the question of “blotting out.” I’m preparing a longer ad hoc answer to that question, but the simple answer is that Revelation 3 promises to NOT blot out. This does not indicate that anyone’s name is ever blotted out. In fact, Revelation 13:8 indicates that a person’s faithfulness based on the fact that their names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world (not vice versa).

Exodus 32:33 refers to someone’s name being blotted out of the “book of the living” but this is not the Book of Life referred to in Revelation and in Philippians 4:3. “Book of the Living” is a reference to king’s keeping a record of their citizens in a city and marking the deceased. Exodus 32:33 is a reference to physical death, not eternal damnation.

I hope this helps! By the way, in my longer ad hoc message I address the issue of people who seem to “fall away".” Note that 1 John 1:9 says that those who fall away were never genuine Christians. The Puritan William Perkins designed both an “order of salvation” and a parallel “order of damnation” that Tim Challies’ artists put into nice infographic (see below). This may be helpful. One point worthy of note is that the Puritans were wary of overly zealous people as they felt it was an indication of false conversion. The faithful, steady, humble servants of Christ who remain steady and grow in Christ over time are the ones less noticed by men, but generally most faithful in God’s sight.

Click the button below to access the Pugilist Podcast episode on passages that at first seem to indicate salvation can be lost.

Ephesians 2
1 John 3

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www.undergroundseminary.net

The doctrine of the atonement is central to the Gospel. Jesus paid our sin debt, restoring us back to God. This doctrine has been under attack from liberals and “progressives” for years. However, the truth of the Gospel as it relates to Christ’s substitutionary atonement stands strong. In this sermon, we address several key passages to define the doctrine and understand how it relates to our salvation and to our evangelism efforts.

Ephesians 1

1 Corinthians 15

Romans 13, Acts 5:29, Daniel 1, 3, 6

Weeks ago, I started prepping for a First Sunday sermon series on biblical anthropology.  At the time I was primarily concerned with research showing that evangelicals do not hold to key beliefs about humanity being created in the image of God.  Things like human sinfulness, issues of gender, and marriage roles all come together in the biblical understanding of humans being created in the image of God.  

The events of recent weeks make the study all the more critical.  I have been grieved to see godless men and women deny the authority of Scripture and then try to argue for what justice is as it relates to the the dignity of human beings in the futile manner we have seen.  This past week is a good example of how apart from God, people will not value their fellow image bearers.  Further, it is clear that apart from God's Word, there is no standard for human dignity.  

So, I'm all the more eager to enter into our study of God's Word as it relates to humanity, our sinful state, and need for Christ's saving work.  

In this sermon from Restoration Church, Daniel Samms does a brief overview of the Attributes of God series Restoration Church has been in before going into a study of God's Goodness, specifically His benevolence, grace, mercy, patience, and love. Special attention is given to 1 John 4 and Galatians 5 as we see that the Holy Spirit works in the believer to grow spiritual fruit not as a result of the believer working hard to do good, but as a result of abiding in Christ. It is no coincidence that the fruits of the Spirit are directly related to God’s goodness. We are formed into he image of God by the Holy Spirit as we worship God.