The following sermon is a great assessment of the current evangelical church. Dr. MacArthur gives some great resources in the process of explaining why it is that the world rejects the word of God — and the unsaved Christians in the church do the same.
Or, to put it differently, why do true believers love the word of God; why do they receive understanding?
The following are sermon highlights:
- Who loves God’s word?
- Tribute to J. I. Packer whose doctoral thesis was on Puritan Richard Baxter
- Baxter’s works briefly explained via Packer’s introductory remarks in a Baxter book, which is very briefly compared to the current church
- Packer’s description of the Evangelical church
- R. C. Sproul’s comments on the current Evangelical church
- The apostle Paul’s critique on such churches
- Trends in the current church and rationale
- Puritan preaching and Christian walk in comparison
- Self vs God as center of church and Christian walk
- The diluted gospel message vs the biblical gospel
- Non believers can’t believe the Bible and are not interested in it because they must first be regenerated, born-again
- The word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are unregenerate
- The contemporary church portrays the Christian life as one of excitement, continual joy, fulfillment… [not one wherein a person must pick up his cross, deny himself and follow Christ, suffer for Christ…]
- Wisdom of the world (foolish, as in Romans 1), vs that of the Bible
- Wisdom of the world CANNOT attain to the truth, cannot arrive at a knowledge of God
- Jews seek signs; Greeks seek philosophical wisdom and oratory
- God’s rationale as stated in His word
- A current critique of MacArthur’s preaching and oratory skills
- Man’s wisdom has achieved many great technological advancements, but it will not get him to God
- Those who are effectually called…saved…
- God has chosen you; we can boast only in the Lord
- Sovereignly; supernaturally; not because of your wisdom
- You believe the Bible and the gospel because God did a work in you
- We have the mind of Christ and therefore can understand the things of God
- The new birth is of the Holy Spirit; that new birth gives one a thirst for and an understanding of the word of God [via the Spirit]
- Those who do not have these things, cry out to God for divine wisdom, righteousness of Christ, redemption, forgiveness
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS:
For understanding of the doctrine of regeneration, see a post by the title, Regeneration (New Birth) by Dr. Duane Spencer, posted 8-16-20. This post makes abundantly clear the reasons that someone “in Adam” “unregenerate” or “reprobate,” cannot accept, or believe the word of God.
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