What's New: The church is not a business

Text of the ad:

"The first rule of business is "the customer is always right;" but the church is not a business. If the customer is always right, how do you preach about sin? If the customer is always right, why do we need Christ?

Christ came to call sinners, not the righteous. If your church is not talking to sinners, they are not talking about Christ. That means they may know how to run a business but not a church. ... "

Comments:

Sadly, there are things that call themselves by the name of Christian that refuse to preach man's sin and God's grace in Christ. They go by various names. They are proud of the fact that they avoid the word "sin."

Sadly too, the doctrine of sin and, with it, the truth of Christ is watered down, superficially treated and falsified by much that calls itself the gospel. The Word of God has much to say on this subject. Jesus' very name means Savior. We read, "...thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21. To refuse to speak of sin, and all the seriousness of it, is to deny the truth of Jesus.

The Word of God says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. But it explains also what this means, "... there is none righteous, no, not one," Romans 3:11. All stand guilty before God in sin. This guilt must be taken away. Not only this, but the guilty sinner is born spiritually and morally dead, in bondage to sin. The Word of God says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me," Psalm 51:5. We read, "And you...who were dead in trespasses and sins," Ephesians 2:1. Sin is bondage: a state of guilt before God and a spiritual and moral corruption that utterly separates man from God and from which man by none of his own efforts can free himself.

The word of God makes it clear that salvation in every aspect of it is by the power and work of God's grace in Christ. We read:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

It is Christ who saves by his death on the cross. It is Christ who saves by raising us from death to life. Christ only is our righteousness before God. It is Christ who by the Spirit applies every blessing of salvation to us and gives us eternal life. This is the work of God in Christ.

Jesus said, "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent," John 17:2,3.

Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith and every blessing of salvation for us, by his death and resurrection, and in us by the power of God and the Spirit. Jesus is the one who is everything to the sinner in his redemption.

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. I Corinthians 1:30,31.

Faith, repentance, and conversion are works of God in Christ rooted in God's regenerating grace. Salvation is not a decision man, the dead sinner, makes or can make. It is of God. It is "of him that ye are in Christ Jesus," I Corinthians 1:30. God takes us from darkness and translates us into the kingdom of his grace in Christ.

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," Colossians 1:12-14.

This truth of sin and grace is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the faithful preaching of the word.


This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. I Timothy 1:15.		Our Radio Ad Of Sin and Grace, Preaching Jesus Christ and Him Crucified The church is not a business. Our calling is to preach "...repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, " Acts 20:21. Preaching the truth of sin is not popular with fallen man. But to refuse to preach the truth of sin is to refuse to preach the gospel. For Jesus came to save sinners. That truth of sin touches both the unsaved sinner who needs to be converted (Acts 3:19, Acts 13:38-41), and the redeemed child of God in Christ who still sins (I John 1:8-10) and must be called to walk in his salvation in daily conversion of life by putting off the old man of sin and putting on the new man in Christ (Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 3:4-11.) For Further Reflection Converted by Grace Saved By Grace: Total Depravity What Jesus said about: Of Man's Depravity In Sin Of Forgiveness The Not Yet Perfect Christian Obedience In Love Of Man's Fall, True Conversion and Perseverance Canons of Dordt, 3-4 Head of Doctrine Canons of Dordt, 5 Head Necessity of Conversion, Heidelberg Catechism LD 32 The Nature of True Conversion, Heidelberg Catechism LD 33 See also Calvinism Life and Walk

The Church Is Not A Business Text of the ad: "The first rule of business is "the customer is always right;" but the church is not a business. If the customer is always right, how do you preach about sin? If the customer is always right, why do we need Christ? Christ came to call sinners, not the righteous. If your church is not talking to sinners, they are not talking about Christ. That means they may know how to run a business but not a church. ... " Comments: Sadly, there are things that call themselves by the name of Christian that refuse to preach man's sin and God's grace in Christ. They go by various names. They are proud of the fact that they avoid the word "sin." Sadly too, the doctrine of sin and, with it, the truth of Christ is watered down, superficially treated and falsified by much that calls itself the gospel. The Word of God has much to say on this subject. Jesus' very name means Savior. We read, "...thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21. To refuse to speak of sin, and all the seriousness of it, is to deny the truth of Jesus. The Word of God says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. But it explains also what this means, "... there is none righteous, no, not one," Romans 3:11. All stand guilty before God in sin. This guilt must be taken away. Not only this, but the guilty sinner is born spiritually and morally dead, in bondage to sin. The Word of God says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me," Psalm 51:5. We read, "And you...who were dead in trespasses and sins," Ephesians 2:1. Sin is bondage: a state of guilt before God and a spiritual and moral corruption that utterly separates man from God and from which man by none of his own efforts can free himself. The word of God makes it clear that salvation in every aspect of it is by the power and work of God's grace in Christ. We read: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10 It is Christ who saves by his death on the cross. It is Christ who saves by raising us from death to life. Christ only is our righteousness before God. It is Christ who by the Spirit applies every blessing of salvation to us and gives us eternal life. This is the work of God in Christ. Jesus said, "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent," John 17:2,3. Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith and every blessing of salvation for us, by his death and resurrection, and in us by the power of God and the Spirit. Jesus is the one who is everything to the sinner in his redemption. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. I Corinthians 1:30,31. Faith, repentance, and conversion are works of God in Christ rooted in God's regenerating grace. Salvation is not a decision man, the dead sinner, makes or can make. It is of God. It is "of him that ye are in Christ Jesus," I Corinthians 1:30. God takes us from darkness and translates us into the kingdom of his grace in Christ. "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," Colossians 1:12-14. This truth of sin and grace is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the faithful preaching of the word.

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