6th May 2025

6th May 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ephesians 2v1-3)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I walked past a street preacher last week and to encourage him I patted him on the back and said “praise the Lord.” He called me to stop and in the next breath asked “Are you born again?” I told him I was and he proceeded to tell me why I wasn’t. What was the problem? Too many things to mention but as far as my new friend was concerned I needed to be saved because only a tiny minority of people truly knew Christ.


I disagree with that gentleman’s summary of my spiritual condition. I believe I am a saved man because I have received Christ by faith. Jesus is my Saviour and His blood is enough to pay my debt. Even so, if you watched every aspect of my life you might have your questions about the state of my soul. I am at the same time justified yet sinful - simul justus et peccator. So if Christians aren’t perfect and sometimes live like the Gospel means nothing - what does the Gospel actually do?


If we have spent the first few months of this year considering our response to the Gospel I now want us to consider our understanding of the Gospel. When we come to trust in Jesus what happens? The human condition is desperate indeed. Paul explained it like this “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”


The Gospel is good news for humanity who are by nature children of wrath. It sees spiritually dead people transformed to spiritually alive followers of Christ. This great transformation is called conversion or regeneration. Therefore, a Christian is someone who has gone through this dramatic supernatural work. What does the Gospel do? It transforms us.


Here is how our forefathers spoke of this in the Westminster Confession “All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.” (WCF 10.1)


The street preacher was convinced that I’m not saved. I’m glad that the street preacher isn’t in charge. There was a time in my life that my eyes were firmly shut to Jesus, but thanks be to God for the Gospel and His saving work. He enlightened my mind spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God. Today I am not perfect but I am saved and all of the glory belongs to the Lord.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q76 Which is the ninth commandment? The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
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