American Pastor

Born of God: 1 John 1:9-2:7

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the third in the series, 1 John 1:9-2:7, examines forgiveness of sin: "Forgiveness of sin, without exception in scripture, in every age, and every generation, demands that confession of sin precedes it. Hence, if a man desires divine forgiveness for his sins against God, then he must openly confess them, and not deny their existence.
"For forgiveness and pardon, therefore, there must be acknowledgement of the wrong done, and a genuine desire to not do it again. So that if men are willing to turn away and depart from their sin, then God will eventually and completely remove all previous sin done by them.
"Because God is faithful, provided there is genuine and sincere confession of sin, then God’s promise to sinners is  twofold: 1. There is a promise of forgiveness, 2. There is a promise of complete and thorough removal of sin.
"God’s faithfulness to His people is also seen throughout scripture, in that He will not let them be tempted above that which they are able, and will likewise protect those called to Himself, from the evil one. Where sin, temptation, and the evil one is, then God’s faithfulness is the strong abiding force that prohibits men from being completely overtaken by sin and its deceptive nature.
"Where forgiveness provides for separating sin from the sinner, cleansing entails its complete removal. Once the Lord provides forgiveness and cleansing for sin, it cannot, nor ever will surface unless it is returned to and  committed again. Hence, if a man sincerely, genuinely, and deeply regrets and repents for his sin, then God will honor His promise to forgive him and cleanse him from all unrighteousness.
"Whenever there is a denial of sin, it will be simultaneously observed that God’s Word does not live in a man. By this it is easy to discern whether sin has been either confessed or denied. Denial of sin and truth are set in contrast one to another, in order that men may know that to embrace one will exclude the presence of the other. Whenever then the truth of God’s Word resides in men, then confession of their sin will follow. But if sin is denied, and a man will not agree with God that he is a sinner, then there will not be any true relationship nor affection for the truth. Since none can truly and genuinely hold the truth in his heart, love its purity, rejoice in its message, and not confess the sin that lives within himself.
"It is also both right and righteous that God is greatly displeased with sinners, and men should not try and diminish the truth that God’s anger exists towards all who transgress His laws. By Jesus Christ taking the place of the sinner and receiving divine judgment for him, God deems the penalty for sin has been met, and justice satisfied.
"Just as through one man’s (Adam’s) disobedience many were made sinners, so also through Jesus Christ’s obedience shall many be made righteous. Consequently, there will be many, a vast amount, an innumerable number of previous sinners, who shall, with utmost certainty, be made righteous through the Son of God. The only question is, who are these blessed souls, to whom God’s righteousness shall be imparted?
"For the second time the apostle reveals whom God reveals as liars. 1. If men refuseto confess themselves as sinners. 2. If there is a claim and a false assumption of knowing God, yet the claimers do not keep His commandments. He thus who denies the presence of sin in himself is a liar, even as he who claims to know God, but does not keep His commandments, has also by divine revelation been marked out by God as a liar.
"If God’s Word is kept by His people, then God’s own love will be perfected in them. Love is a fruit of the Spirit and all who are truly led by it will manifest this fruit in their lives. It is also the increase and expansion of the love of God in the Christian’s heart, that causes him to know that he is in God, and God in him. Ultimately, love and obedience cannot be separated. This is also why whenever there is an absence of divine love, no real obedience to God exists.
"If any claim relationship with Jesus Christ, they should strive to walk as He walked. The standard for the Christian’s behavior is therefore seen in his Savior. It is through Christ that he has been born again, given a new heart, and become a completely new creature. When a man seeks to walk as Christ walked he will, like the Lord, be about the Father’s business, be willing to humble himself to serve the needs of others, follow Christ’s example of being meek and lowly in heart, lose his life to God, and ultimately fulfill the great commission.
"When men become imitators of Jesus Christ, they prove themselves as true followers of God."
Broadcast live on 01/22/2023
 

Born of God: 1 John 1:5-8

1 John 1:5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the second in the series, 1 John 1:5-8, teaches that God is light, and those that walk in darkness have no fellowship with Him: "The message that Paul heard and declared unto his readers, that God is light, came from the Son of God. It is Jesus Who declared God’s true nature, which was also made visible through His walk on the earth. It was therefore that relationship that John had with Jesus Christ, that revealed to him the true nature of God, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
"Not only is God defined by the apostle as light, He is also revealed in scripture as Spirit and love. By these three descriptive revelations of God, it is possible to see the great glory of His divine nature and the primary components which make it up, which are Spirit, light, and love.
"All that is holy, good, benevolent, merciful, forgiving, and loving is contained in this simple axiom that God is light. From light also comes all that can be conceived as life in the universe. Light is the very source of life, without which it could not exist. It is also neither remarkable nor coincidental that the God Who is Himself divine light, brought into the universe material light as an emblem of Himself. 
"Since God is light in every respect, then it is not reasonable that He would maintain fellowship with darkness on any level. A truly good and honorable man would never befriend nor share intimate fellowship with evil men, and the same can be said even more so concerning a holy God. And just as God instructs those who believe on Him, to depart and have no fellowship with darkness, it is unreasonable to believe that He would do, what He commands His people never do.
"Simply because it is incompatible that a God, Who is Himself pure light, would maintain any fellowship with darkness. He will not, and John wants to make this abundantly clear that God will never fellowship nor maintain communion with darkness of any kind.
"Either there is a disconnect and a contradiction in what the Word of God reveals sin is, or in the people who sin yet claim relationship with God. No doubt the error lies not in scripture, but in those who will do their best to try and change the very description of good and evil, and/or light and darkness. Sinners thus who have chosen not to abide in what is good and holy, will seek to change it to fit their own carnal lusts and fallen nature. So that if men will not abide by the truth, then they will soon seek to change in others’ minds, whattruth is.
"It is also a sign of hypocrisy when men claim to know God but in works deny Him, when any profess Jesus Christ as their Lord but do not what He says, and when there is an honoring of God with the lips but the person’s heart and behavior is far from God. Therefore, very early in John’s epistle we see one of his main objectives, which is to refute the erroneous claims of those both in and out of the church, who walked in darkness yet professed they maintained relationship with God. This is contrary to the message that John heard from Jesus Christ Who Himself represented the light of God. Practically, if any man thinks differently, he has set himself as a rival to Christ."
Broadcast live on 01/08/2023
 

Born of God: 1 John 1:1-4

1 John 1:1 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;"
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the first in the series, 1 John 1:1-4, opens with the introduction of the epistle: "What is remarkable about this verse is that in a book that details what is necessary to gain fellowship with the Father and the Son, and a book which was written to confirm if a man has eternal life or not, that the emphasis is directly centered upon the personal, albeit spiritual, relationship the apostle John had with Jesus Christ. It is thus He, Whom John hopes to expose the world to, and He, Whom John knows, holds the key to gaining the eternal life of God. Ultimately, Christ is the Word of life, that manifested form of God, Who leads to life. The reason that John gives Jesus Christ this title is because through Him God’s knowledge of the way to gain eternal life is revealed. As the Word, Christ is God’s revelation to man, revealing also God’s path to heaven.
"The reason that a man is saved by Christ, is because He is the living Word of God. Ultimately, to hold Christ as Lord is to obey all of God’s commandments. So that where previously through the Mosaic Law obedience to the Law is what was purposed to lead men to life, now the lordship of God’s Son is how men can eternally be saved.
"Because God has given His Son authority over all things, to be saved men must agree with God’s transfer of divine authority to Christ, and subsequently make Him their Lord and Master of their life. Thus, by accepting the Word, and yielding fully to Christ’s present heavenly authority, this is viewed by God as subjection to His will for man. Christ’s lordship over a man’s life takes the place of needing to obey every commandment of God, which was necessary in the Old Testament in order to be saved, which in fact is impossible simply because of man’s weak fleshly ability to keep divine law.
"The Lord’s predestination of His people, is what makes Christ’s salvation so secure. This was the Son of God’s purpose in coming into the world, to save those purposed by God for heaven, and it has been proven to be astoundingly successful.
"There is but one door, one access point, where sinners like ourselves can find hope of heaven, and it is through the very One sent by God to reveal God’s spiritual and eternal life more fully to the world. That which a man has, he can give. Jesus as the Son of Man, and Son of God, can therefore give God’s eternal life to as many make Him their Lord. 
"A man’s labor, therefore, should not merely be regulated to feeding his body and the desires it produces, but rather should be primarily directed towards that spiritual labor which leads to the saving of the soul. It is this meat which is a knowledge of the Son of God and a pursuit of the higher spiritual realm that provides the opportunity for everlasting life.
(I John 5:12) "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." On this one single maxim, is contained the entire Christian gospel. If this were believed and relied upon, then very little else would be needed to be preached in attempting to bring others to salvation. It is also this question which all who profess to believe in Jesus, need to ask themselves, “Do I hold true belief in the Son of God in my heart, or do I merely know Christ’s name in my mind?”
"Joy is, therefore, a spiritual fruit which is produced in a person’s heart, whenever faith is present, and confidence and trust in God is held. He, therefore, who genuinely exercises faith, will experience joy in his soul, a spiritual joy that proves not only the existence of a heavenly Father, but also the true nature and disposition of heaven itself. Teaching us that heaven is not a gloomy, nor oppressive habitation, but rather is a place of supreme happiness, freedom, and delight. Spiritual joy is an element of the nature of God, and it is what all of heaven reflects. By believing on the Son of God, men can experience a portion of that joy, which will be their full possession when received into heaven."
 
Broadcast live on 12/11/2022
 

The Dead Shall Rise: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

2 Thessalonians 3:6 "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Dead Shall Rise. This sermon, the seventeenth and final in the series, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18, closes out the epistle with Paul's final exhortations: "Though the Thessalonians were brethren, Paul and the other apostles with him maintained the spiritual right to command them regarding certain behaviors in the church. Gift ministries, like apostles and prophets, are placed by Christ. Because of this, they have been given divine authority by the Son of God to carry out God’s will when led by the Spirit of God. It is thus both the right and responsibility for true ministries to come in God’s name, hold forth His Word, and reveal His will to man. This is a heavenly charge and should not be taken lightly.
"For true servants, Christ’s will is always superior to their own, and the influence of the Spirit of the Lord is greater than human flesh. Ultimately, God gives no man spiritual authority over another unless he is first willing to subject himself to Christ’s Lordship. This ecclesiastical order encourages unity and harmony in the body of Christ and provides the means for spiritual growth.
"The truth is that no man should think he has met the spiritual criteria of being a servant of Christ until he has labored not only to care for his own needs but also to help others as well. Idleness, though not recognized by many as spiritually harmful, is one of the great dangers to any society. The law of Christ demands not only bearing one’s own burdens but also assisting with the burdens of others. 
"Though men are saved by grace and not by works, this does not imply that they carry no personal responsibility for salvation. Ultimately, God works in the called to do according to His own good pleasure, inspiring them to pursue the narrow gate that leads to salvation.
"To do good should be the Christian’s main purpose in life, a heavenly charge that is abundant in scripture. Yet, when men know to do good, but do it not, then as far as God is concerned, evil has been committed. The absence of doing good therefore, when it is known it should be done, is viewed as nothing less than sin in God’s eyes. 
"Simply put, if a man does not seek to do good, it is impossible for him to walk in any real, true unity and fellowship with the Father or His Son, Jesus Christ.
"Every true Christian knows the inward stabilizing force of the Christ Spirit within, which produces the spiritual fruits of joy and peace. This spiritual peace, which has God as its source, surpasses human understanding. Paul prayed for the Lord Jesus to impart that supernatural encouragement which is His alone.
"True Christianity is a religion of divine favor, spiritual gifts, and heavenly blessings. These realities become available through exposure to and belief in the Son of God. It is He Who reveals the true nature of heaven, and He Who, through the sacrifice of His own life, provides a path for sinners to be accepted by God. 
"Since Christ has brought us to God, then it is only fitting that we should live the remainder of our earthly lives for Him. (2 Cor. 5:15) And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. This has been our heart in writing and publishing The Word of the Lord: An Expositional Study of I&II Thessalonians."
Broadcast live on 11/27/2022
 

The Dead Shall Rise: 2 Thessalonians 2:10-3:5

2 Thessalonians 2:10 "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Dead Shall Rise. This sermon, the sixteenth in the series, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-3:5, highlights the importance of having a love for the truth: "When men do not love truth and count it as their greatest joy, they place themselves in a position fertile for deception. Ultimately, it is the engrafted Word that saves a man’s soul and the kept Word that keeps him from sinning against God. Both will only be accomplished when men love the truth, without which they can easily be deceived. Hence, at the core of all apostasy is the reality that those who apostatized held no real affection for the truth, which itself reveals no real affection for God and the holiness contained in His divine nature.
"When a deep and affectionate love for truth is absent, all that is left for men to have affection for, is sin. What people love directly affects what they believe. This is why a man’s appetites will eventually determine his destiny. The heart and what it cherishes most, whether God or the world, greatly determines what is believed. So, if sin is embraced and not God, it is impossible to escape deception. Observe as well that love for truth is directly linked to love for God. Therefore, when men cease to love the truth, it sends a very clear message that love for self, sin, and the world is preferred above God.
"In comforting contrast to those who will be damned because of their affection for sin, the apostle now turns to what God has purposed for the Thessalonians, who had exhibited a belief and love for the gospel. Whereas damnation awaits the deceived, salvation and sanctification await those who choose Christ.
"Jesus Christ now possesses a glory, and those who have believed upon Him will share in it. Hence, as dark and dreary as the apostasy and the man of sin’s rise to power will be, equally as brilliant will be the glory of the Son of God and the spiritual glory He will give to those saved by Him.
"Whenever we think of heaven and life beyond this earthly abode, we should think of it as God describes it and not as we might be misled to believe it will be. Thus, it is not simply that a man will enter a land of heavenly bliss, but rather that those called by Christ shall obtain and share in the glory of Jesus Christ. Saints, therefore, shall possess a portion of the Son of God’s celestial glory. This is the true hope of the gospel, and it provides great spiritual encouragement when believed.
"Concerning prayer, there lies a very important truth; it is that whatever a man believes is his greatest strength is what he will lean on when setting about to do a work. Hence, if men believe that it is through their own power and ability that the gospel is advanced and believed in, it is to themselves that they will turn to for strength. A man’s prayer life, therefore, or perhaps a lack of it, reveals the true source of his confidence.
"As much as God is love and light, He is also faithful. This is seen in His faithfulness to uphold His promises, provide forgiveness for sin, and receive those called to heaven through His Son. The Lord is faithful, and this shall be proven when He establishes His saints, and keeps them from evil. How a man views God also directly affects his confidence in Him. Hence, if he does not believe that God is faithful, it will be difficult for him to gain and maintain consistent trust in the Lord. Consequently, at the foundation of any true walk with God, is held a firm belief in God’s faithfulness.
"Love is the divine quality that, when manifested in Christians, reveals their true knowledge of God and the higher spiritual realm. Ultimately, all who are truly born of God through the Spirit will manifest a deep love for not only their Savior but those born of Him. This is something a merely religious man can never possess. Ultimately, divine love is that spiritual fruit that confirms true relationship with God. For those who dwell in love, dwell in God, and He in them. Hence, whenever divine love is present, we can know that that person indeed has fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus with him."
Broadcast live on 11/13/2022

The Dead Shall Rise: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Dead Shall Rise. This sermon, the fifteenth in the series, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9, explains the events that will occur before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ: "Concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the churches being gathering together unto Him, we learn a very significant truth—that this event will not occur, that the day of Christ will not come, until there first commences a great falling away from the faith, directly influenced by the revealing of the man of sin, the great instigator in leading the world away from the worship of God to become worshipers of himself.
"When sin reaches its peak, led by the man of sin influencing men to betray God, Jesus Christ will return not only to destroy the son of perdition but also to remove all spiritual rebellion once and for all. Thus, when the man of sin is revealed and sin is embraced as righteousness should be, very soon afterward the Son of God will appear with heaven’s glory to destroy all who have, by freedom of choice, rejected God’s rule over their lives.
"The rebellion orchestrated by the little horn spoken of in Daniel will be a universal condemnation of God’s laws. Led by him, the apostasy that began in Genesis with Adam and Eve departing from God’s Word will be allowed to grow until it has engulfed the entire world. Because a great majority of this world’s inhabitants will freely and willingly join themselves to the man of sin and his rebellion against God, heaven, in the person of Jesus Christ, will intervene one last time to deal with sin.
"The mystery of iniquity is a concealed force that seeks to advance sin and rebellion against God. This power can be observed in government, media, and many other places where men hold an extensive amount of influence in the  world.
"Whatever delusions the Antichrist has tricked the world into believing concerning his authority to rule as God will also be openly exposed as a lie when the Son of man, Jesus Christ, returns to the earth.
"In the end, the Word of God on the lips of the Son of God, accompanied by the brightness of His glory, will consume and destroy the man of sin. Good will overcome evil, and light will be proven to be so much greater than darkness. Christ, therefore, will destroy with the brightness of His coming the one who deceived a great part of this world."
Broadcast live on 10/30/2022

The Dead Shall Rise: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

2 Thessalonians 1:1 "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Dead Shall Rise. This sermon, the fourteenth in the series, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, highlights the introduction to the second epistle written to the Thessalonians: 
"Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians begins, much like the first one, by reminding these early believers of the grace and peace sent to them by God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is God’s purpose in calling sinners to Himself through the redemptive work of Christ, that both His grace and peace might be given to men where previously they deserved only wrath and judgment.
Grace is that kind disposition of God that desires good for the sinner and not evil. It is the Greek word #5485, charis. Strong’s Concordance defines it as “grace, kindness.” HELPS Word-studies states, “5485 (xáris) is preeminently used of the Lord’s favor – freely extended to give Himself away to people (because He is ‘always leaning toward them’).” It is because of God’s grace, His kind disposition towards man, that when men sin against Him, if they sincerely repent for their sins, they can be forgiven. Informing us that it is God’s will that no man die for the sin nature he was born in. That God is both willing and able to forgive the penitent is seen in His sending His Son to die for sin. It is also solely through the Lord’s grace that any are saved, or can be. For if there was not grace, there could be no true salvation.
It is faith and love sprouting in people’s lives, that proves true spiritual growth and genuine godly advancement. By possessing faith and love, this proves that men are walking in God’s will in their lives. There is also no such thing as true spiritual development, which has not the increase of these two fruits of the Spirit. Hence, where knowledge, even if it is biblical, is not an accurate measure of either God’s salvation or spiritual growth, manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit given by Christ to the saved, surely is.
Ultimately, at the base of any true walk with God, is a sincere and honest trust in God. Hence, if a man does not trust the Lord when in trial, then we know, that very little true faith in God exists. Understandably, faith can do so much more for the human heart, than a room full of biblical knowledge ever could. Since it is not knowledge that allows men to endure both religious persecution and worldly trial, but rather only a genuine and sincere trust in God’s ability to deliver them.
All fathers maintain a right to defend their own, and our heavenly Father is no different. It is thus right in heaven’s eye to recompense tribulation to those who persecute God’s saints. What men sow they shall also reap; therefore, those who trouble and bring consternation upon the beloved, will have trouble and tribulations, recompensed to them.
The object of Christ’s vengeance will be those who have rejected His rule. It is not a small thing to set at naught the good news brought by the Son of God, purposed to save the sinner. Not a small transgression to choose disobedience toHe, whom God has purposed should rule the world. Undoubtedly, most do not consider it a great offense to reject the gospel. Nor do the spiritually blind consider it as worthy of judgment, if they do not obey Christ’s words. Yet, the scripture is clear, what the results shall be for any who have counted the blood of the covenant, and new testament of Christ, an unholy and unattractive thing.
Paul’s prayer is that such faith that had begun in the Thessalonians when they believed the gospel, would continue to grow in order that, first they might be found worthy of their heavenly calling, and secondly that this advancement of faith and obedience to God’s Word, might allow them to receive all the good that God had purposed for their lives. In short, Paul prayed that what God had begun by exercising His power to produce faith in the Thessalonians, might be finished, resulting in all God’s good pleasure purposed for them, being able to be fulfilled."
Broadcast live on 10/16/2022
 

The Dead Shall Rise: 1 Thessalonians 5:20-28

1 Thessalonians 5:20 "Despise not prophesyings."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Dead Shall Rise. This sermon, the thirteenth and final in the series, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-28 concludes Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians with his final exhortations and blessings: "
"It is critical in the church that all things should be proven and examined to see if they pass the test for truly being of God, and inspired by the Holy Spirit. This will include not only using spiritual discernment to perceive true Christians over those who only profess Christ, but also all doctrines, that are said to come in God’s name. Discerning of spirits is essential, in order that nothing is allowed into Christ’s church, without having its source in God.
"Once a nation or generation forsakes God, through choosing sin, then it will simultaneously try and change the definition of what God considers divinely good. It is not enough for evil men to depart from the light, without them also attempting to pervert what true light really is. Sinners thus, when apostatizing from divine rule, will assert that sin is righteousness, and righteousness is sin. Not content with merely breaking God’s commandments, those who practice sin, and have chosen to live lives through being governed by it, will attempt to deceive others as to what truth really is.
"Jesus saves the whole man, his whole being, and men should not think that just because the Spirit returns to God at death, that the entire man will not be fully restored at Christ’s second coming. Understanding that God saves the entire Christian, then it is reasonable that all that the Christian both is and has, should be used in service to the Lord. Because the entire man will be saved at Christ’s second coming, the entire man should be yielded to God, for God’s service, in preparation of that day.
"Hope in Christ’s return also is a mark of a true Christians, since none will both expectantly and longingly wish for Christ’s second appearance, who are not Sons of God themselves. The hope of Christ’s return changed the Thessalonian church and those converted to Christ through it, even as, if we believe the same message, it will transform our lives as well.
"There is hardly anything more that will purify the Christian’s faith and manner of life more, than belief in the Son of God’s return. When a man’s eyes are set on the second appearance of Christ, neither worldly affection nor carnal lust has the power to draw him away from God’s call for his life. It is those who cannot see Christ afar off, and set their hearts on such insignificant things such as worldly fame, temporal abundance and/or pleasure, and human approval. What a man navigates by forms his character, and this is why when men set their eyes on holy things, then they shall themselves, like Moses, be transformed in the process.
"Very appropriately the apostle closes his epistle to the Thessalonians, in like manner that he began it— reminding all the holy brethren of Thessalonica that it was by the grace of God that they were saved, and nothing of themselves which could accomplish this glorious work performed upon them. Leaving us with the simple truth that all Christianity is, at its core, a religion of grace, the only form of religion also that sinners like ourselves could remain faithful to. Thankfully, this grace, comes to us as a gift from God, which gift we must also possess if we are to be received and have our bodies changed by the Lord Jesus at His glorious return. Amen."
Broadcast live on 08/28/2022