My Plumb Line

August 8, 2011 [Monday],

Dear Fellow Travelers,

          Yes, I am the pastor, so my opinion is probably biased; however, it is my humble opinion that those of us who attend Grace Christian Fellowship are very blessed and extremely fortunate. Yesterday’s service evidenced that quite well. I wish each of you could have been with us.

          Anyway, during my message I mentioned the fact that the Apostle Paul had some very strong words to say regarding the message of truth, i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ. Take a careful look at them: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9 NASB). 

          In other words, Paul was making it very clear that there is but one gospel, and that gospel is the one he preached. Since this is Holy writ, I must take the position that his words are truth—absolute truth—which means that it would behoove each of us to familiarize ourselves with what he taught. I believe that so strongly, that I have spent most of my adult life diligently studying his writings. As a result, I have unwittingly developed a mental plumb line that I use when I am preparing to teach, when I am reading what someone else has written, and when I am listening to someone else teach. I offer it to you for your consideration:    

My Plumb Line

1.    Jesus, not man, must be the heart and essence of the message.

2.    Salvation must be depicted as all God’s doing—period.

3.    Salvation must be depicted as God’s choice for man, not man’s decision for God.

4.    Faith in Jesus must be involved in salvation, but this faith must be depicted as God’s gift to the sinner, not something the sinner somehow gained on his own.

5.    The efficacy of the blood of Jesus must be in the blood itself, not in man’s choice.

6.    Sin must be depicted as being exceedingly sinful, and the sinner must be depicted as being totally depraved—helpless, hopeless, and with no inclination for Jesus whatsoever.

7.    Forgiveness must be depicted as being extremely costly, not to man, but to Jesus, i.e., we could never earn it or deserve it.

8.    Forgiveness must be depicted as being perfect and permanent.

9.    Redeemed man must be depicted as being as righteous as Jesus is righteous, not as a forgiven sinner.

10. The Law must be depicted as the power of sin, not our means to righteousness.

11. Redeemed man must be depicted as being free from sin—its power, its guilt, its condemnation, and its shame.

12. The Law must be depicted as the ministry of death, i.e., it must be depicted as that which brings death, not life.

13. The bread & wine of the Eucharist must be presented as signs of the body and blood of Jesus, signs that, when received by a believer, become in the believer what they signify.

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).