THE HONEST AND FAITHFUL MINISTRY

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

THE HONEST AND FAITHFUL MINISTRY             

The Bible is a book of principles.  It has specifics.  Specifics in laws; specifics in separation, and specific in examples.  But it is particularly about unchanging principles. 

Specifics can change.  Principles are constant.  Salvation by grace through faith is an unchanging principle.  Circumcision, a sacrament directed to faith, is a specific requirement which did change.  The sacrament of commitment and identification is now baptism. 

There are many specifics which have ceased or changed, but what does that mean for Christians in the 21^st century?  Meetings and meeting times have changed.  But the principle of Believers gathering on the Lord’s Day and at other necessary times has not changed. 

Clothing both in style and formality has changed, but the principle of modesty remains.  It is evident that there are many differences for present day worshippers.  It is true, “this is not your father’s Buick.” 

The question that demands an answer is how much change can the preached message experience and still be the Gospel.

The Gospel as a principle of “the power of God” contains some constant specifics.  They are:

1.  The true gospel contains a demand for repentance.  Acts 2:38
2. The true gospel identifies sin and the sinner.  Romans 3:23, 6:23
3. The true gospel demands faith in the crucified and risen Savior Jesus and demands an open public confession of him as absolute sovereign over the life of the confessor.  Romans 10:9-10
4. The true gospel identifies the life to which the one who believes is called.  II Corinthians 5:17
5. The true gospel identifies the single way of favor with God to be faith in Jesus Christ without any righteousness on the part of the believer.  Galatians 2:16

Anyone who claims to be a gospel preacher and intentionally leaves out any of these specifics has failed his commission.  This is not to say every specific is mentioned in every message, but the messenger understands their necessity and is committed to that principle.

The great gospel preacher of the early 19^th century, Daniel Clark, preached two sermons which identify the problem of the 21^st century church, “A Better Church Would Make A Better World” and  “If We Had A Better Church We Would Have A Better World.”, The Works of the Rev. Daniel A. Clark.