Sermon on October 29 by Pastor Roland Eskinazi

Scripture: Rom 1:16,17. Rom 3: 21-24

‘Christ Never Fails A Repentant Heart!’

We are always in danger of losing or changing the gospel e.g. ‘Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life’. Why do we need the Five Solas (Faith alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone, Grace alone and Glory of God alone) today as much as in Luther’s day?

1. SOLA FIDE – GOD’S CURE FOR ‘YES I CAN!’ (MORALISM)
What is this faith that saves?
It is not ‘believe in yourself and you will be saved’ It is not ‘believe you are saved, then if you believe you will be saved’
It is faith in a righteousness completely outside of us – God’s righteousness in Jesus.
The only work that counts, and which God accepts is the work of Jesus which we receive only through faith.

2. SOLUS CHRISTUS – GOD’S CURE FOR ‘WHAT CAN I BRING?’ (LEGALISM)

‘I hoped I might find peace of conscience with fasts, prayers, vigils with which I miserably affected my body… but the more I sweated it out like this, the less peace and tranquillity I knew’
(Martin Luther, 1507)

A Jesus-plus gospel is no gospel. If you think you need more than Jesus, more will never be enough.
If Jesus is perfect, then His salvation is perfect irrespective of our sin and failures. (Mat. 5:17)
Cling to Jesus alone and this the antidote to the pride, self-righteousness and Pharisee in us all.

3. SOLA SCRIPTURA – GOD’S CURE FOR ‘HERE’S WHAT I THINK!’ (SUBJECTIVISM)
When we look outside of the Bible for the Vox Dei (Voice of God), we go wrong in every other area of the gospel and life.
Relevance is not looking to the culture for their opinion – it is proclaiming not just the Bible, but all of the Bible. The more you allow the Scripture to shape your world-view, the more certain – not uncertain you become!

4. SOLA GRATIA – GOD’S CURE FOR ‘I DESERVE THIS!’ (PERFECTIONISM)
Grace is one hundred percent of God and zero percent of us. (Romans 11:6)
Be careful of zeal that wants to prove itself to God, a hyper-spirituality that takes away from depending on grace

‘What’s going on inside my own zeal? If it’s really about my own righteousness to show how radical I am, or rigorous I am , how I am not a slacker, then my zeal is self-justification’.
(Ray Ortlund)

5. SOLI DEO GLORIA – GOD’S CURE FOR ‘IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!’ (HUMANISM)
If our salvation and purpose here is solely for God’s glory an international gospel church defies humanism
What unites us is not race or culture or preference but Christ alone – and this for God’s glory alone. (Gal. 3:27-29)

Remember! The Reformation is not over. Praise the Lord for those who recovered these truths. But let us keep reforming, applying them to our day and trusting God for greater passion for Him and His truth.

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