CREC 9- E1- Evangelical Faith

CREC 9- E1

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Evangelicals Have Faith

Gospel Centered Evangelical Faith

December 17, 2017

Lynchburg, Virginia

EXHORDIUM

         I continue our sermons through our acronym, CREC, the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. We are on E 1, Evangelical. It is obvious that we intend to distinguish ourselves with this word. We are evangelicals. What’s more, we are Reformed Evangelicals.

         Before we try to define what it is to be evangelical, I want to encourage you that this part of our acronym is a great answer to the question “What kind of church are you?” The answer, “We are Reformed Evangelicals.” Of course, you immediately have to qualify anyway because many people might think you are saying, “We used to be evangelical and now you have reformed from that.” You will need to explain what Reformed means and what Evangelical mean. But in doing that you will capture a great deal of who we, in the CREC, are.

          We are the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. This means that we are Evangelical. This is an important word in our name. It is an important word in the history of the church.

         What does Evangelical mean? Think about it. Can you answer that question? I asked my family the question at dinner last night and got a wide range of answers.

        

2098. eujagge÷lion euaggelion; from the same as 2097; a good message, i.e. the gospel: — gospel.

So Evangelical has to do with those who believe the gospel. But nearly all Christians believe the gospel. There is an aspect of an Evangelical that is more than simply believing in the gospel. Perhaps it is those who believe in the preaching and teaching of the gospel.

But then we ask ourselves what is the Gospel? It is the good news. And the reason the Good news is needed is because of bad news. So the gospel has to include the broader Biblical story of Creation, Fall, Redemption.

Let’s consider some other definitions of Evangelical.

Miriam Webster- : Evangelical

emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual.

Dictionary.com-Evangelical

belonging to or designating the Christian churches that emphasize theteachings and authority of the Scriptures, especially of the NewTestament, in opposition to the institutional authority of the churchitself, and that stress as paramount the tenet that salvation isachieved by personal conversion to faith in the atonement of Christ.

Gallup-Evangelical George Gallup decided to conduct a poll in which he defined evangelical as anyone who claimed to be “born again.” This simplistic definition led Gallup to report that as many as 50 million Americans—a third of the eligible electorate—were evangelical. Jonathan Merritt. The Atlantic

The most widely accepted definition of evangelical is probably the one put forward by historian David Bebbington in 1989. It’s called the “Bebbington quadrilateral” because it identifies evangelicals as Christians who share four main qualities:

• Biblicism: a high regard for the Bible
• Crucicentrism: a focus on Jesus’s crucifixion and its saving effects
• Conversionism: a belief that humans need to be converted
• Activism: the belief that faith should influence one’s public life

Ditto: The Atlantic

Defined by National Association of Evangelicals

       In recent survey of those self-identifying as Evangelicals as quoted in Christianity Today in an article by BOB SMIETANA

 NOVEMBER 19, 2015 3:50 PM

·       The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.

·       It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

·       Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.

·       Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation.

Christianity Today in an article by BOB SMIETANA

NOVEMBER 19, 2015 3:50 PM

From the Westminster Confession of Faith.

Chapter XV

Of Repentance unto Life

I. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,[1] the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.[2]

II. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God,[3] purposing and endeavouring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.[4]

III. Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,[5] which is the act of God's free grace in Christ,[6] yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.[7]

IV. As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;[8] so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.[9]

V. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.[10]

VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof;[11] upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy;[12] so he that scandelizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended;[13] who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.[14]

EXEGESIS

1.   Salvation by Grace, through faith, not works.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

2.   An Active Faith

Know them by their fruit

Matt. 7:15   Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Galatians Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23 ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

3.   Sanctification from the Works of the Flesh

Gal. 5:19-21   ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ²¹ Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

4.   Repentance unto Life- Filled with Holy Spirit

Acts 11: 11-18 ¹¹ And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. ¹² And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: ¹³ And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; ¹⁴ Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. ¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. ¹⁷ Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? ¹⁸ When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Covenant Renewal

         We baptize babies. I usually pray something along the lines that this child will never know a day when he did not love the Lord Jesus. It is our express prayer that our kids do not know the day when they were filled with the Spirit or committed to serve Jesus. Some churches focus on exactly that and do not consider children converted unless they can pinpoint a time of commitment to Jesus.

         Does our view mean that we do not believe in our teach the new birth? No, it does not. We do believe that all men must be born again. However, we believe that God sovereignly administers this birth. The Holy Spirit comes and gives life. And when He does this, those given life, live. They act out their faith in repentance, confession, active living faith. We do not doubt our children’s profession of faith. We profess faith here each Lord’s Day.

         Douglas Wilson- My old pastor used to say, “We don’t have to know what time the sun came up to know that it is up.

John Baptist was filled with the Spirit in his mother’s womb. Babies, even babies in the womb can be saved. God does the saving.

Some children in our church seem to love the Lord from their earliest days. Others go through struggles. The answer for both is the same. Look to Jesus. And when sinners look to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, the gospel tells us that they are forgiven. That is repentance unto life.

Backsliding Christian- Christian in Sin- There is such a category. Time will tell if it is a bad tree or just one that needs pruning. The axe is laid.

         Luke 13:6   He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. ⁷ Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? ⁸ And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: ⁹ And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

         The Lord is gracious. He gives us time to bear fruit. He even gives us more time after all hope is seemingly lost. He is gracious and long-suffering. But a fruitless tree will be cut down.

         What fruit? Christian character, marked by love for God and His people.

         How can you love God and hate your brother? The Bible teaches that these are inconsistent. No man filled with the Spirit of God can hate his brother. Start with your own brothers and sisters. Do you love them? Then expand this out to the people of God. Do you hate them?

How do you mark hatred? Envy. Bitterness. I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness. If that is your food, you are eating from the wrong tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You must reach out and eat from the tree of life.

Acts 8: ²³ For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 

         Acts 8: ²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

EXHORTATION

         Evangelical? I emphasize Four Points

1.   Bible Centric- Whole counsel of God, creation, fall, redemption. Preach Old and New Testament

2.   Preaching and Teaching of the Gospel – Pulpit Call to Confession, Repentance and Faith in Jesus

3.   Need for Regeneration- Spirit Filled, Born Again

4.   Faithful Christian Living- Active Faith, Sanctification

        

         All of this is by degrees. Some of you with oversensitive consciences will say, “That is me. I am full of envy because I am jealous of my sister and therefore I don’t have the Holy Spirit and am condemned.” But the fact that you see it and are concerned about it is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s operation in your life. If you really are envious and see it in your life and make a habit of repenting every time it rears its ugly head, then you have God’s Spirit. His Spirit does not make us perfect in this life. His Spirit allows us to be spiritual, which is to see and confess and repent of our sins.

         The real danger is for those of you who cannot see the power of envy and do not think you are affected by it. I think most people are. And any man not guarding his heart against envy is probably already in its clutches.

         What is the solution? Must you strive to calculate the sun’s rising, or must you simply look up into the sky to know He is there? I suggest the latter. And as to the Son, I mean the SON, the Lord Jesus. Has He risen in your heart? Do you look to Him in faith? In confession? In repentance? In hope? In peace? In joy? Is your only real hope for yourself in Jesus? If you are hoping on something else, your goodness, your wisdom, your self-control, your humility, then you are hoping in vain. You are in a world of trouble and may still be in your sins.

         But if you look to Jesus Christ, crucified, buried and risen, as your only hope in life and death, then you will do well.

        

Heidelburg 1.    What is thy only comfort in life and death? 

A. That I with body and soul, both in life and death,¹ am not my own,² but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ;³ who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins,⁴ and delivered me from all the power of the devil;⁵ and so preserves me⁶ that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;⁷ yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation,⁸ and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life,⁹ and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.¹⁰