Study – North Greenville Church

Let’s Study Ezekiel!

March 20, 2020 by Don Woodard

Since November, our Wednesday Evening Prayer/Bible Study meetings have presented Pastor Barron’s study on the Book of Ezekiel. This book of visions looks ahead to the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the last group of Israelites to Babylon. This is one of the times in redemptive history when repentance is too late … [Read more…]

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North Greenville Church

North Greenville Church is a Reformed and Presbyterian fellowship that seeks to establish a traditio

North Greenville Church

1 week ago

Paul moves ahead with an ethical section of his argument, principally an application regarding freedom from sin to freedom to enjoy the love of Christ and one another. We remember that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone. We are freed from the guilt of our sin in Christ. Christ frees us from the power of sin. We are part of the resurrection of Christ, who is the firstfruits. Freedom is life in the Holy Spirit. We bear one another and serve one another. How are we freed from the law of God? There is no condemnation (Romans 8). In Christ, we are no longer under condemnation for breaking God's law. In Christ, the law shows us how we are to live as redeemed people. We must not regard the law in a spirit of legalism or antinomianism. Our faith is useless if we go back to the old ways of legalism claiming the way of salvation. The grace of Christ is offensive to some people. They think they can save themselves through their goodness. We are going to face hindrances: persecution, broken family relationships, etc. We are not to let these discourage us from finishing the race. We have come into the kingdom by grace, and we are to live in the kingdom by grace. A little bit of false teaching can hinder us if we don't guard our liberty. ... See MoreSee Less

Sermons – North Greenville Church

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North Greenville Church

2 weeks ago

Paul asks the Galatians whether they are now enemies of Paul. He asks if he needs to start all over with the presentation of the gospel. Paul's heart was broken, as was Jesus' when he arrived at Jerusalem. There was a sense of urgency with Jonah and Ninevah, with Jesus and Jerusalem and now with Paul and Galatia; judgment is near. There were Jewish agitators denying the promise to the gentiles. Isaac and Ishmael serve as Paul's example concerning bondage and freedom. Abraham received a series of covenant promises. Abraham believed and trusted. Ishmael was the first, of Hagar. Isaac was the second, of Sarah. One borne of a free woman, Sarah; one of a slave, Hagar. Sarah's motherhood was miraculous because of her advanced age. Isaac was the child of the promise. The Galatian agitators were preaching works righteousness leading to salvation, denying salvation by faith alone. Are we following tradition, fads or popular opinions; or are we following what God says? Paul presents an allegorical representation. He points to two covenants: Abraham and Moses. The covenant of Moses does not supersede the covenant of Abraham. All covenants are building on one another and are fulfilled in the new covenant. The third purpose of the law, how we are to live, does not replace the first purpose, to show us that we are sinners and need Christ, our redeemer. The law commands us to trust in Christ. ... See MoreSee Less

Sermons – North Greenville Church

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North Greenville Church

3 weeks ago

It is important to understand the nature of the heir. Heirs come by genealogy and also by adoption. If you are in Christ, you are an heir of Abraham. An heir is under guardianship. The heir is a sort of slave. Before you were a believers, you were captured by your sin, as slaves. You could not free yourself. The Galatians were believers, but outsiders had come in preaching a different gospel. Paul told them to realize what they had under the true gospel. All of what we have is from God. The people had been extremely devoted to Paul and his teaching. Paul's thorn in the flesh was to keep him devoted to Christ. Paul was simply a messenger, calling the people to hold onto the true faith. We need to see the importance of our callings. We are not complete if we are not doing God's calling to us. It is important to understand the covenant of redemption and the functions of the triune God in salvation. In vss. 4 and 5, Paul presents the timing. The fullness of time means the march of history that prepared the ancient world for the spread of the gospel. Communication, transportation and language were all involved. God's timing for the advent of the Savior was perfect. We also see the sending of the Son by the Father. "Only begotten" needs some explanation. Begotten is a theological term. He was eternally of the Father, but sent forth in the fullness of time. His birth was of a woman, but his conception was by the Holy Spirit. He is sinless; fully God and fully man. He was born under the law and became sin for us, for our redemption, making us heirs of the covenant. ... See MoreSee Less

Sermons – North Greenville Church

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Sermons Preacher Services Book Series Start date End date Keywords Sort by Direction Subscribe to Podcast All sermonsiTunes • Other Filtered sermonsiTunes • Other Sermons (321) Next page » The...

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North Greenville Church

4 weeks ago

Paul is developing the five solas cited by the reformers in the Protestant reformation: salvation Sola Fide – by faith alone; as proclaimed Sola Scriptura -- by Scripture alone; Solus Christus --through Christ alone; Sola Gratia -- by grace alone; Soli Deo Gloria -- to the glory to God alone. A testament once ratified can't be annulled or changed. A law decreed by a king could not be changed. Think of the Persian king in the book of Esther. A father normally bequeathed a double portion of his estate to the eldest son. In the story of the prodigal son, he still received the promised inheritance upon his return from riotous and dissolute living. An established testament is all the more unchangeable in God's providence for His people. God made a promise to Abraham and his offspring (singular). In Jesus, this covenant of grace was fulfilled, with the transfer of our sin to Christ and His righteousness to us. God moved on from the promise to Abraham to the law given through Moses. There are three aspects to this law: ceremonial law (which pointed to Jesus and thus has passed), the civil law (how the nation of Israel, God's people through whom the Redeemer would come, would be ruled, and thus has passed), and the moral law, which is eternal. Note that God made the covenantal promise 430 years before the law was given. The law did not change the promise; the law gives understanding to the promise. There are three uses of the moral law: telling us how we are to live, restraining evil and the wicked, and showing us our need for a savior. The law defines the promise. Before Christ, we were prisoners, captive in sin, needing a savior. The law was a warden; a guardian to us, steering us away from sin. Martin Luther said the law leads us to acknowledge our sin, humbles us, leads us to Christ and teaches us that we are justified only by faith in Christ. The law feeds us to grace. In this, we are all brought to Christ as one family. Salvation through the promise made to Abraham which he believed by faith, applies to us in Christ. ... See MoreSee Less

Sermons – North Greenville Church

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North Greenville Church

1 month ago

Paul posed some questions to the Galatian church. He asked who had bewitched them. He reminded them that truly the moral law is essential, but law-keeping cannot save us. There are deceivers everywhere, even to this day, and we must be in the Word to recognize false teaching. Abraham was called by God by His grace. The Jews of Paul's time looked to Abraham as an example. They viewed Genesis 17, concerning circumcision, as the heart of the law. Paul told them to go back to Genesis 15 and also 12, about God's grace to Abraham, His promises and His covenant. Paul reminded the Galatians that Abraham's salvation required no work on Abraham's part. Abraham was reckoned righteous before God made any of His promises to him. Paul reminded the church that the law brings a curse; it shows us our sin. We remember earlier that in Deuteronomy 27 Mt. Gerizim was the mount of blessing, and Mt. Ebal was the mount of curses. Mt. Ebal is the better place for us to remind us of the reality of our sin. We are told that God is revealed to all men in creation, and the man who rejects God is under the curse. Thus, salvation by obedience is not possible. The Holy Spirit makes us aware of our sin, leading us to salvation and sanctification. In vss. 6-8 of our passage, Paul reminds that Abraham was justified by faith, and that through him, all nations would be blessed, including gentile nations. The curse of sin was placed upon Jesus, who on our behalf satisfied the covenant of works broken by Adam and Eve. Paul asks, "Why would you seek something else to justify you?" Salvation has to be the work of God, and this fact gives all the glory to God and none to us. Remember that Christ is alive and is returning. Today is the day of salvation by grace through faith. ... See MoreSee Less

Sermons – North Greenville Church

www.northgreenvillechurch.org

Sermons Preacher Services Book Series Start date End date Keywords Sort by Direction Subscribe to Podcast All sermonsiTunes • Other Filtered sermonsiTunes • Other Sermons (319) Next page » Fai...

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