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SOUND DOCTRINE ... AND JESUS

June 30, 2002 AM

Sermon Outline

Titus 2:1 AND 2 Jno 9,10

INTRO: A while back I talked with you about sound doctrine. When I had finished my work on that lesson, it occurred to me that a sermon study emphasizing sound doctrine was certainly worthwhile. However, it seemed to me there is a need to be more specific. What is sound doctrine about .... ? SO, I made a few preliminary notes and resolved to come back to this subject. This morning we will consider Sound Doctrine ... And Jesus. Our primary points ...

I. JESUS WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN

A. There are certainly those who say He was not

1. they admit that the historical Jesus did live

2. but they reject such an idea as this

3. Old Testament translation revision committees led by unbelievers have insisted on altering Isa 7:14 to read young woman instead of virgin (explain)

B. Mt 1:23 (quoting Isa 7:14) - Lk 1:26,27

1. any ambiguity is settled by the New Testament!

2. Lk 1:31-35 a natural question and the answer

3. the miraculous birth of Jesus is sound doctrine

II. JESUS WAS DEITY IN THE FLESH

A. And, yes, there are those who say He was not

1. Jno 3:16 RSV-NIV refuse begotten - as do, of course, some of the cults

2. oh, there was a Jesus - but not Deity - just good man

3. such views are far from sound doctrine

B. Mt 1:23 Emmanuel

1. Jno 3:16 only begotten Son

2. Jno 1:11-13,14,18 the only begotten son

3. that Jesus is Deity in the flesh is sound doctrine

III. JESUS LIVED AMONG MEN DOING MIRACULOUS THINGS

A. Surprise - there are those who reject His miracles

1. its hard to deny that He lived ... and taught

2. but His miracles are explained away by religious men as having very natural explanations

3. what would this do to the credibility of the New Testament?

B. Jno 3:1,2 Nicodemus testimony

1. Jno 11:47 even His enemies, bright, knowledgeable men, knew His miracles were real!

2. Acts 2:22-24 yes, they had seen ... and knew

3. oh, there have been the imposters, the charlatans ... but Nicodemus expressed it well ... these miracles are unmistakable evidence that God was with Him

IV. JESUS DIED ON A ROMAN CROSS AS A SIN OFFERING

A. Historians do attest to the death of Jesus

1. but, of course, without any significance

2. many people died on Roman crosses! so what?

3. but none died with such amazing commentary - Lk 23:44-47

B. 1 Cor 15:3 Christ died for our sins ...

1. others died on crosses as criminals, rebels - He died as a sin offering - an atoning sacrifice

2. Rom 3:24,25

3. sound doctrine about Jesus must speak of His substitutionary death

V. JESUS WAS RAISED ALIVE AGAIN FROM THE TOMB

A. So many do not want to acknowledge this!

1. to do so would either condemn them or require that they believe in Him

2. Mt 27:62-66 we must not acknowledge the possibility that He could rise ... alive from death

3. note 1 Cor 15:14,17,18,19 miserable, indeed

B. 1 Cor 15:20-22 Christ is risen

1. and each of us must do something with that fact

2. accept it and conform to all it means - reject it and refuse its promise ... the only options

3. up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph oer His foes

CLOSE: And He is at the Fathers right hand ... exalted! Acts 52:29-36

Cecil A. Hutson

30 June 2002

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)