The Truth Church

Pastor Hilton preached on the great commandment from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, examining three New Testament instances where Jesus referenced it. In Luke 10, a lawyer tempted Jesus by asking what to do to inherit eternal life; Jesus directed him to the law, and the lawyer correctly answered to love God with all heart, soul, strength, and mind, and neighbor as self. In Mark 12, a sincere scribe asked which commandment was first, and Jesus replied that the first is 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord,' and to love Him with all heart, soul, mind, and strength, adding that the second is like it—love your neighbor as yourself. In Matthew 22, Jesus stated that on these two commandments hang all the law and prophets. The pastor conducted a word study on the Hebrew terms for heart (levav), soul (nephesh), and might (me'od). Heart refers to the innermost being, the seat of knowledge, will, and moral character. Soul is the living being that actuates the heart's intentions. Might means muchness, force, abundance, and vehemence—loving God exceedingly and with all one's strength. The pastor illustrated this through King Josiah, who at age eight became king, at sixteen began seeking God, at twenty tore down idols, and upon finding the Book of the Law, rent his clothes and wept. He turned to the Lord with all his heart, soul, and might, and no king before or after him was like him. The spiritual purpose is to inspire believers to love God with such total, vehement devotion that it transforms every aspect of life.

Pastor Hilton began by reading Isaiah 10:3-4, posing the question, 'What will you do in the day of visitation?' He explained that visitation in Scripture often refers to God's intervention for judgment, as seen in Jeremiah, where the people were unprepared because they would not listen. However, God's ultimate purpose in visitation is salvation. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and after His ascension, He sends the Holy Ghost as the Comforter, who comes in Jesus' name. The pastor emphasized that the Holy Ghost's visitation is Jesus coming to us. Drawing from Acts 3:19-21, he noted that Peter linked repentance and conversion to the 'times of refreshing' or visitation, which will culminate in the restoration of all things. The pastor stressed that God has a specific appointment for each person. He illustrated this with Revelation 3:20, where Jesus stands at the door and knocks, waiting for us to open it so He can sup with us. He warned against missing the day of visitation, citing Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem because they did not know the time of their visitation. The sermon called for preparation through repentance, urging listeners to awaken from sleep and open the door of their hearts to the Holy Ghost's presence.

Bishop Riggen teaches on the necessity of baptism for salvation, grounding his argument in Hebrews 6:1-2, where the doctrine of baptisms is part of the church's foundation. He stresses that salvation is not based on human logic or private interpretation but solely on Scripture. Using John 3:3-5, he examines Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus: being 'born again' is defined by Jesus as being 'born of water and of the Spirit.' The bishop refutes the idea that 'born of water' refers to natural childbirth, as some births are 'dry,' and emphasizes that Jesus's words are imperative. He cross-references Mark 16:16—'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved'—arguing that the conjunction 'and' requires both belief and baptism, just as being born of water and Spirit requires both. He further supports this with 1 Peter 3:20-21, which states that baptism now saves us, linking it to Noah's salvation through water. The bishop concludes that baptism is not an optional outward sign but an essential command of Jesus. He urges the congregation to accept Scripture's authority over personal opinions, warning that on judgment day, God will not accept alternative interpretations. The spiritual purpose is to compel believers to obey Jesus's command to be baptized in water as a non-negotiable part of the new birth, ensuring they can enter the kingdom of God.

Bishop Riggen preaches from Numbers 32, focusing on the account of the tribes of Reuben and Gad who, on the brink of entering the Promised Land, request to settle on the eastern side of the Jordan River instead of crossing over. He emphasizes that after 40 years of wandering, the moment of God's promise had arrived, yet these tribes were content with their current circumstances, valuing convenience over the fullness of God's inheritance. Moses rebukes them, warning that their decision would discourage the entire nation and repeat the failures of their fathers who refused to enter the land at Kadesh Barnea. The core of the message is that individual choices impact the whole body of believers. Bishop Riggen draws a parallel to the church today, asserting that many Christians are satisfied with a comfortable, status quo faith while others are desperate to possess all God has promised. He highlights Moses' concern that believers would fail to recognize their obligation to fight for and with their brothers and sisters. Using 1 Corinthians 12, he explains that every member of the local church is interconnected and necessary, even those who feel insignificant. When one suffers, all suffer; when one fails to participate, the entire body is weakened. The spiritual purpose is to call every believer to lay aside selfishness, link arms with fellow believers, and fight together in prayer, fasting, and commitment so that the church may inherit every promise God has for it.

Bishop Riggen opens by establishing that the sermon will be grounded solely in Scripture, not denominational handbooks or commentaries, because only the Bible is God-breathed. He reads Hebrews 6:1-3, identifying the foundational principles of the doctrine of Christ: repentance, faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection, and eternal judgment. He notes that the Greek word 'arche' means 'first principles' — the foundation from which everything else springs. He emphasizes that doctrine simply means teaching, and a pastor must be apt to teach. He then focuses on baptism as a foundational truth, lamenting widespread disagreement due to human tradition overriding Scripture. He asserts that truth is not determined by majority opinion, citing John 18:33-38 where Pilate asks 'What is truth?' and John 17:17 where Jesus declares God's word is truth. He argues that different opinions cannot all be right; only Scripture is the final authority. He warns against traditions that nullify God's commands, quoting Matthew 15:3 and Galatians 1:8 about not preaching any other gospel. He affirms that the Bible is forever settled, unchanged, and that God does not operate by democracy — as Romans 3:4 says, let God be true and every man a liar. The narrow way leads to life, and few find it. He concludes by calling the congregation to pursue and obey truth, because only truth makes us truly free from sin's condemnation.