Treasured Truth

Many people are changing the definition of sin and they’re twisting the message of the Word of God, just to make it palatable to unbelievers.  But when we go out to reach our communities, Pastor Ford encourages us to take to heart what D.L. Moody used to say, “The Word of God is like a lion! You don’t have to defend it, just let it go,” so it can do it’s work in the hearts of the lost.

As we learn more about how we can transition from doctrine to duty, Pastor Ford will explain that what is learned in the holy place, should be lived in the marketplace.  So, he’ll encourage us to take what we are learning in church with us and share it with the world.  If we were doing that more often, then more people would be attracted to what we have and want to become a part of the church themselves.

In the passage we’ll be studying today from Galatians 5, Paul says, “Stand fast therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.  And be not entangled again, with the yoke of bondage.”  So, Pastor Ford will explain what he means is that the law doesn’t empower us, it enslaves us.  And if we try to follow the law, we end up with legalism, rather than liberty.

Pastor Ford will help us understand that when we are not keeping the Lord’s commandments, we are not loving Him.  He’ll also address this question—what does it mean for us to be committed to Jesus Christ?  It means we love what Jesus loves and we hate what Jesus hates.  And that’s when we know we’re committed to Christ.

Have you ever received a pardon, but refused it?  Today we’ll hear about a man named George Wilson, who did just that.  And Pastor Ford will explain that there are too many people who are like that.  God gives them the pardon they need, but they reject His offer.

As our study continues in Galatians chapter 4, today we’ll see that just like Abraham and Sarah received a promise from God, we all as believers, have received a promise too. It’s the promise that we will be delivered from the penalty of our sins through grace.  The new covenant frees us from the law and now we have the hope of salvation, but it’s only found in grace.  To find out more about God’s free gift of grace, join us for today’s Treasured Truth.

Pastor Ford will remind us today, that if we’re going to make any kind of impact in this world whatsoever, we’re going to have to be people who are flexible enough to change, or we’re never going to make it.  We’ll consider this truth today as we look further at how to reach out to those who need Christ in our communities.

Salvation is by grace.  So, in salvation, we don’t help God out.  As we look at the passage we’re studying today, Pastor Ford will explain that Paul is saying the promise God made to Abraham and Sarah is very much like our salvation.  God does not need our help to perform anything or to bring anything to pass, no matter what it is.  He does not need our help to save us.

As we continue to look at the story that Paul allegorizes in Galatians chapter 4, we’ll see that he wants to help the Galatians understand that they are trying in vain to get salvation from the law, when the law was never designed to give us our salvation. We can’t get salvation by the things that we do.  And that’s Paul’s entire argument—salvation is by grace alone.

As we continue to look at this old story with a new meaning, Pastor Ford will remind us that Biblical hermeneutics follows a simple formula—when the literal sense makes plain sense, seek no other sense, lest you abandon common sense and end up with nonsense.