The video of this post, is from the YouTube site: Christian Sermons and Audio Books.
In the following 1-minute video, Pastor Hines makes some basic statements about the difference between Christianity and all other religions; between faith and works religions.
My last post was on Faith, preached by Pastor Patrick Ramsey [linked below]. Therein, he clearly stated biblical truths about what it means to have faith in Christ; to trust Him for your salvation; to rest in Him…. The video short of this post supports Pastor Ramsey’s more thorough coverage of the biblical concept of faith.
A Christian is saved by faith in the finished atoning work of Christ and Christ’s living of a perfectly righteous life (Jesus is the only one that ever kept all God the Father’s commandments perfectly, and thereby earned a righteousness that is imputed to those who believe / trust / rest… in His work by faith).
The adherents of all other religions believe they can become righteous by doing something: keeping the commandments… of their religious system; doing some good works to create a good karma….
Many professed Christians, who do not understand the biblical concepts of faith, justification, sanctification… also try to earn their own righteousness. They will fail and end up in hell, according to the following words of Jesus:
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
[The people who did works, in verse 22 above, were obviously working in their own strength for their own righteousness, and not by faith in the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. We all strongly tend to do that. Only by prayer and abiding in scripture, and much struggling… does a Christian learn to walk with the Lord by faith.]
The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, opens with the beatitudes. The first beatitude is a statement from Christ that describes the true kingdom citizen, one who clearly sees his own spiritual bankruptcy; he thereafter mourns his sin, is meeked before God, hungers for the righteousness that God gives to those who seek it…. Thus, any who believe they can earn their own righteousness, sufficient to enter into heaven, are detestable to God. They will end in hell, so the Bible makes clear.
Christ restated holy writ from the Old Testament as He uttered the beatitudes. Reading through the prophets, you will find many statements about God honoring those who approach him in complete humility and neediness:
For example: Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. [A few other similar verses: Isa_66:1-2; 2Ch_33:12-13, 2Ch_34:27; Psa_34:18, Psa_51:17, Psa_138:6; Eze_9:4, Eze_16:63; Mat_5:3-4; Jas_4:6; 1Pe_5:5; Luke 18:9-14]
Link to Pastor Ramsey’s sermon on biblical FAITH:
https://sheeplywolves.com/by-faith-galatians-215-21-pastor-patrick-ramsey/
Link to Pastor Ramsey’s sermon on why WORKS of the law do not save those who attempt to enter into heaven by them:
https://sheeplywolves.com/not-by-works-galatians-215-21-pastor-patrick-ramsey/
Link to Pastor Ramsey’s SERMON AUDIO sermon page:
Link to Pastor Patrick Hines SERMON AUDIO sermon page:
https://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=bridwellheightspca
Link to Pastor Hines’ book at Amazon Kindle:
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS:
***I downloaded Pastor Hines’ book a few moments ago, can’t comment on it yet. But knowing what I do of his beliefs, I’d recommend it.
***I Can recommend the following book, for helping a Christian walk with God and effectively deal with habits of sin: Killing Sin Habits, Conquering Sin with Radical Faith, by Stuart Scott with Zondra Scott.