9. We must understand in light of the Bible that the family is not enough for someone to be right with God. There are many who think if they stand in place of a child for baptism, the child would be right with God. I suggest to you that the child can only be right with God through Jesus our great Lord and awesome Savior. We have seen that we are not right with God through religion or morality. These things will never be enough to make us right with God. Rather to be right with God we must believe the Father's only Son in whom He was well-pleased. There is none other whom the Father is well-pleased. The Father said "listen to Him." Many do not listen to Jesus Christ. Many listen to the papacy or a liberal theologian. We ought to be very careful because being right with God is the most important and essential question to ask. I suggest to you that even if baptism by immersion makes your family disappointed, you ought to still practice what the Bible teaches. We ought to never compromise on what the Bible teaches. However, we ought to speak to each other with love and reverence and respect. There is a thing such as family pressure. I suggest to you that I see many who abide in false religion because of family pressure. Family pressure should never cause us to love sin more than loving Jesus. Following Jesus is found in God's written Word. We see that Jesus Christ cherished and loved His earthly family. However, He followed His Heavenly Father over His family because at one point they argued with him and felt he was beside himself. The ultimate allegiance of our hearts must be to Jesus Christ and our ultimate family is spiritual not biological.
10. Jesus' family wanted Him to submit to their counsel in the Gospel. I suggest to you that they surely meant well but they had it backwards; that is, Jesus' family must submit to the God-man's counsel. We ought to be loyal to God and not man or family. If our family opposes God in some instance, we ought to rest on God and His written Word. We belong to God by the demonstration of doing His will. We ought to hear Jesus' voice in the holy Scriptures. It teaches us to rest in God not family; that is, the ultimate authority is God's written Word not our biological family. The Jewish leaders felt they were rich with God because they belonged to Abraham through their rich heritage. They confessed, "Abraham is our father." However, Jesus proclaimed that they followed the devil. We ought to be very careful on who we chose to follow. Are we fearful of following Jesus because our family heritage says something contrary to the plain testimony of Scripture? Who are you paying attention to? To whom do you listen? I suggest to you that it matters if you belong to God's family. It is the most important question. Many have converted to Romanism and the church of Rome but not to Jesus. Are you apart of God's family or man's family? Do you want to do God's will? We don't get to heaven through mere words but through Jesus and a changed heart. We must practice our faith in deed and in truth and in spirit. Religion, morality and family are possible things to keep us from our Savior and Lord. These things seem positive by their outward appearance. However, they can blind us from acting in a genuine spirituality. These things may keep us from Jesus if we are not careful. It is all about Jesus because there is no one who understands like Him and there is none who forgives like Him. May we focus on Jesus alone that the Father sent in the Spirit to set us free. Amen. (Sermon Reference: Smith/"The Need for Jesus"/Sept. 20, 2009).
This blog web site is for the in-depth, sound and basic exegetical study of the Bible in Reformed apologetics; that is, I shall expound upon the inerrant and infallible Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. There shall be biblical studies in world religions and non-Christian cults. I also quote and research reformed writers and I am happy to study from them. May the Lord bless everyone who reads this blog with spiritual riches in Christ which is His imputed merit by faith alone.
