Ironworks

And having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: Hebrews 10:21‭-‬23  Assurance is Important In recent weeks we have talked a great deal about assurance in our evening sermons through the book of 1 Peter. Assurance is such an important thing to us. It is important to God, too. God wants you to be assured, for the assured Christian is a productive Christian. One who worries all day long about their salvation cannot teach anyone the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is one that is full of assurance for the faithful.  How can we be Assured? How can a Christian live assuredly? The Hebrew writer instructs us to draw near to God with a true heart. This is a heart that is characterized as one having full assurance of faith. We can have that co

“And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God”  2 Corinthians 9:10-12 We all need reminders;  I am no different. I attempt to write everything down, but I forget to do that sometimes. Reminders are so valuable because they call our attention to a task, a medication, or even a dear loved one. Reminders are given throughout the Word of God that call our attention to a sentiment that should be in our hearts all year long, thanksgiving.  The Lord Provides  Paul reminds the Corinthians of the overwhelming blessing of God. The blessing of God is not isolated to a season of harvest but is seen continually. Why does he remind us of this? I

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.” Mark 13:13 Obedient Faith is Ongoing             The final step of God's plan for saving man is ongoing throughout the rest of our natural lives. We must remain faithful unto death (cf. Rev. 2:10). The Word of God instructs the first century church, as it does all New Testament Christians, that we must be faithful whether or not it is a good, spiritual-high moment or if it is safe. We must remain faithful even when it might cost us our lives. This was a very real circumstance for the church under the Roman Empire and in many nations today. There are brethren today in countries who face certain death for wearing the name Christian. This is clearly in agreement to what is written above when Jesus made it clear there were expectations of His people. We will be hated because of Jesus’ name; we will face opposition from all sorts of people and religions. Family members, f

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.  Mark 16:16  Diagram      Mark 16:16 is one of many passages that confirm that baptism is one of the five steps in the Gospel Plan of Salvation that is applicable to all men. Some observations in the verse include the fact that both belief and baptism are coequals to be saved. The diagram below shows their correlation as well as the order of both belief and immersion for the purpose of salvation. Belief is an absolute prerequisite of baptism, and this is very well explained in the second section of verse, for it is by disbelief that one is condemned. As it has been noted before, it certainly takes more to be saved than to be condemned.  He____________________________________________________/shall be saved                                    That______________________/believeth                        /and                                                                         /is bapti

  “Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom 10:9-10 A Proclamation and a Promise Who are you willing to confess? Did you know that your salvation depends on it? I trust that many of you who are reading this do know this, and others have heard something along those lines but we must not lose sight of what God has required for salvation. Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that this was something that they had done and brought them unto salvation. This was not some cleverly added thing of Paul's own volition but the Inspired Word of God. This was the same thing that Jesus said prior. “Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.” Matt10:32 As Christians our proclamation is based on Christ’s promise.  Ou