I want to close by emphasizing the necessity of theology proper. Brethren, this is our bread and butter. This is the doctrine that differentiates us as Christians from non-Christians as opposed to our performance, conduct, or virtue. Our religion is about our God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, certainly, we should have conduct consistent…
Transcribed and edited excerpt from a sermon preached on April 12, 2020 on Romans 4:25 – Pastor Jim Butler “(23) Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, (24) but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from…
The Psalmist petitions God on behalf of the church (Ps. 67:1). He prays that the Lord will be merciful to His people, bless His people, and dwell with His people. The background to this petition is likely the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face…
Brethren, Greetings in the LORD Jesus, God’s Word promises us that Christ is with us and that He builds His church. This has been evident for Surrey Reformed Baptist Church in many ways. In the first place, we found a more suitable location to rent. We had been meeting at Rosemary Heights Elementary school, but…
The greatest of all tragedies must be that of the person who dies just outside the gate of life. They are standing, as it were, just outside the Wicket gate to the church grounds – seeing the beauty of the building, knowing the people going in – but not stepping over the threshold themselves. Almost…
The use of confessions of faith is a common practice among reformed churches. Dutch Reformed Churches use the Three Forms of Unity, Presbyterians have the Westminster Confession of Faith, and Reformed Baptists hold to the 2nd London Confession of Faith of 1677/89 (2LCF). Typically, the broader evangelical churches have statements of faith but tend to…
The question of good works and the final judgment is one that often perplexes the people of God. The teaching of Jesus in Matthew 25 is relevant as it is a clear statement of the judgment of the sheep and the goats. There are several reasons why the traditional, Protestant understanding of justification by faith…
The Bible often speaks about the “fear of God.” There are two types of the fear of God, the first is a slavish fear, and the second is a filial fear. Both are referred to in Exodus 20:20, “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear [slavish]; for God has come to test you,…
The problem of easy believism is a legitimate threat to Christian orthodoxy, but to properly address how it departs from biblical doctrine, it is important to identify its characteristics and to guard against its misrepresentation. In the first place, it is vital to establish that easy believism is distinct and separate from the biblical pattern…
In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul writes, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” There are several things the church needs to hear about this text. In the first place, the Christian ministry must be populated by men who work…