Sermons tagged #Apostasy

In our study, Paul is closing his second epistle to the Church in Thessalonica with a request for prayer. We will look closely at what he requests... Also Reference: Jeremiah 7:23-26, Psalm 53:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 10:17, Luke 18:7-8 https://bbfohio.com

Contend for the faith once delivered to the saints without apology or compromise.

As a church, as a church member, and as a Christian, you must understand the importance of the local church, and your attachment to it.

The Lord instructs Moses to write a song for the children of Israel to sing, a song that would function as a warning and as a testimony. Here are attributes of God which display God's tender, loving care for his people, his gentle discipline and his judgements, with applications for believers.

In Chapter 3 we learn of the call of Samuel; he enters the chapter a boy and exits a prophet. The opening narration sets the stage for this activity by repeated images of the decreased light – the rarity of God speaking in those days, no frequent vision (v. 1), Eli's diminution of eyesight, not being able to see (v. 2). Verse 3 leaves us with a glimmer of light, telling us that the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Though this was a season in Israel where "the word of the Lord was rare," God speaks when He chooses to. Israel needed the light of a prophet amid their darkness; so, three times God spoke from the blackness of night; and three times Samuel heard a voice while failing to discern its origin. When the Lord called Samuel a fourth time, he was prepared with an answer given to him by Eli the priest: "Speak, for your servant hears" (3:10). God's call is effectual – His Word is always heard by His sheep (John 10:27-28) and accomplishes His purpose (Isaiah 55:11). Samuel's first assignment was a difficult one, as God spoke a prophecy of judgment on Eli, his mentor (3:11-14). Though uneasy to share it immediately, Samuel humbly, carefully, and faithfully proclaims the prophecy to Eli (3:15-18). Samuel's office and gifting are confirmed by the people of God and his ministry would overshadow the wickedness of Hophni and Phinehas (3:19-21). In Samuel, the sun would begin to rise in God's kingdom. This story is replete with application for the church. May God call, gift, and raise up prophets who will faithfully preach Christ, the light of the world, amid a hostile and dark world.

The professing church bears God's name, but where it actually departs from him, there he brings judgement, not to utterly destroy, but that a remnant may be brought to repentance. Ezekiel 6 is a warning to the worldly church in our age to turn back to God.

As a church, as a church member, and as a Christian, you must understand the importance of the local church, and your attachment to it.

Another famous proof-text. But what is it referring to?

Many claim to believe in Jesus Christ, but do not hold fast to Him. They perhaps have said a prayer, but they fall prey to false teachings, are surprised by suffering and eventually they turn away from the Lord. Here the Apostle closes the letter with his personal autograph, again, encouraging the church by what he says in order that they may persevere in their faith to the very end!

God's Remedy for Apostasy: The Word of Truth 1 Exclusive Truth in a Pluralistic Society 2 The Bible's Attributes Amid Error 3 Motivations to Abide in God's Word

Last time we learned that our job in this life is to get ourselves and the people around us ready for Judgment Day. But how are you supposed to do that? You can force someone to have faith in God. It's true you can't force faith, but you can grow it like a seed in a garden if you use the right tools. Today we'll discover what those tools are.

Ezekiel 5 speaks to the Church situation today. God has set his Church in the midst of the nations, and every professing church will either be a witness if it is faithful in holding to God's Word or a warning if it is not.

False Christians who are secretly workers of lawlessness will not be accepted by the Lord on the last day. How do you know you are not one of those workers of lawlessness? How do you know that you will not hear from the Lord "Depart from me you worker of lawlessness"? The Apostle John gives us the answer in 1 John 3:4-15. Do you genuinely love your brothers and sisters? Are you indifferent or apathetic to their lives and needs? Carefully listen to this message and allow the Scripture to help you examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith, while there is time!

Q: What is the solution to this apostasy? A: Knowing what God has said and cultivating a gratitude for God's gracious gifts He has given us. Instead of denying God's Word and denying His gracious gifts of creation (as if it is pious to abstain or sinful to enjoy), we must determine to know the Word of God and cultivate a sense of gratitude for God's gracious gifts. 1 Timothy 4:1-5 The Mystery of UnGodliness (whose solution is thanksgiving). I. Surprise of Apostasy (some will depart from the faith) (v1a) ---A. The Spirit ---B. The Apostasy II. Source of Apostasy (demonic doctrine and lying leaders) (vv1b-2) ---A. Demonic Doctrine (v1b) ---B. Lying Leaders (v2a) ---C. Seared Conscience (v2b) III. Specifics of Apostasy (forbidding and abstaining) (v3) ---A. Asceticism ---B. Abstaining IV. Solution against Apostasy (Gratitude for God's Gracious Gifts) (vv4-5) ---A. God created good gifts for us… (v4a) ---B. …to be received with thanksgiving… (v4b) ---C. …...by His word and prayer. (v5) Understanding the goodness of God in His gracious gifts and truth of God's Word is a great antidote to the false teaching of asceticism, and guard against apostasy. For then we are rightly founded in who God is and in His infinite grace—which we need!—and realize there is no greater joy and no other place we would want to be.

There are enemies within and without spiritually. We need spiritual protection. We need to be protected by our Father.

Not only is Satan the tempter and accuser of the brethren, and has the power of death, but as allowed by God he is the author of evil, and the principle power behind the falling away to day, and he end is eternal destruction in the Lake of Fire.

Profoundly sad statement right here: "…many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." I cannot count the times I have seen this same thing happen with many people I have known. And it is certain that I will see it happen again and again until the Lord takes me home. It always breaks our hearts, and it breaks the heart of God, when someone turns back and walks with Jesus no more. It reminds me of that very sad statement about Cain in Genesis 4:16: "And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. "And that was it; never again did Cain have any communication with God; never another offer of grace and forgiveness – nothing at all from God. I shudder when I see someone start on this path away from God because I know that it will almost certainly eventually end this way.

We're going to talk about spiritual experience this morning. The writer has just issued a stiff warning to his readers. That warning was against repudiating Christ and falling away from the truth. It was set in the context of growing up to moral maturity, with the implication that if you are not growing up to moral maturity then you are in great danger of totally rejecting Christ and meeting with His total rejection as well. But though the writer talks like this, he is confident of better things. He does not believe that most of his readers are at the point of definitively rejecting Jesus. Instead, he sees that by and large they are the good field, the good hearers who are producing good fruit. He commends this fruit, and tells them about his desire that they diligently grow in hope by following the examples of the OT saints — a point he will make with much greater fullness in ch. 11. What we will see this morning — the text's main point — is that the pastor can have confidence in God's salvation by looking to the hallmarks of salvation and encouraging his people through the power of example.

The first message from Emmanuel Reformed Church in our new sermon series through the Book of Zephaniah "Day of Wrath, Day of Rejoicing." This morning, Pastor Carl looks at Zephaniah 1:1-2:3 in a message titled "The Day of the Lord is Near." If you were blessed by this message, please take the time to leave a comment. You can also reach us via email at [email protected]. To learn more about Emmanuel Reformed Church and her ministries visit our website at: https://emmanuelreformedrcus.org/ If you would like to give to the kingdom work of Emmanuel Reformed Church, visit our website and click the "Give" tab on the menu bar. You can also donate through the ChurchOne App (our church code is 46029). To learn more about the denomination we're a part of, please visit https://rcus.org.

9th message in the 1st John series.

Remember the real war- against God, truth, orthodoxy and the Church. As culture slouched towards Sodom and charlatans occupy pulpits it is vital to take the Lord's side.

In these last days of apathy and apostasy, only one reason is strong enough to keep you serving Jesus for a lifetime. Find out what it is in this Bible message.

The passage before us is a disturbing one — one of the most troubling in the Bible. It is a stiff warning against apostasy, and it describes in vague but evocative terms the kind of people for whom repentance is impossible. One reason we find this passage so troubling is that the whole Bible is about how God is saving the human race. He has made a way in which we sinners can repent and be saved. That is the overwhelming message of the book — yet this passage speaks instead of sinners who cannot repent and be saved. What are we to make of this? The context shows us that it is a warning, a warning against falling away from Jesus. More than this, it is a warning in the context of your need to grow so that you can absorb and profit from strong meat — that is, from richly concentrated doctrinal food. Based on the transition from v. 3 to v. 4, we can affirm that this passage warns us that we must either grow up to maturity or fall away forever. The ones who refuse to grow are in great danger of finding themselves unable to repent or be saved.