Toledo Reformed Theological Conference
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General Session Friday
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Tom Ascol
The Cross Our Only Boast
Galatians 6:11-18
The Cross Our Only Boast
Galatians 6:11-18
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Addressing the problem of false teachers. Trusting Jesus was not enough, they must also keep the Old Testament ceremonies.
Faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone+NOTHING
(Dr. Ascol starts off right away by addressing unbelievers in the audience, which is great. It is easy to assume that those at a conference like this would all be saved, but you can never assume that and never should stand in the pulpit without calling sinners to repentance)
We are all born legalists and have that tendency always within us.
Gal 3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
Is grace but the threshold into right relationship with God, faith gets you in but works get you on? That thought keeps us from treasuring Jesus Christ.
For a Christian the cross of Jesus Christ is everything.
There are some things that we love to talk about. There is something everyone glories in, that we can talk quickly and joyfully about. But what do we take the greatest joy in, boast the most about? For the Judaizers it was performance.
The Judaizers added to the Gospel by requiring new Gentile believers to be circumcised, so that “they may boast in your flesh.” (v. 13). Their boast was in their performance not in the cross of Christ.
But not even those who are circumcised keep the Law.
Their keeping of certain ceremonies meant nothing
Gal 6:15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Keeping circumcision means nothing, not being circumcised means nothing.
It would be a mistake to assume that because we are here at a Reformed Christian conference, that we are freed from legalism or that we are freed from sin. (Tom is presenting the Gospel again. That is the sign of a true soul winner, a true evangelist!)
To any degree that we allow our performance to be part of the foundation that God finds us forgiven, we are not valuing Jesus Christ and His cross.
We you are having a good day, you will feel good about yourself, and the opposite when you don’t do devotions or witnessing. The basis cannot be in our performance.
Legalists boast in their performance, Christians boast in the cross of Christ.
Christ’s cross work saves us. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. If you sin, someone has to die.
Behold the Lam of God! Here He is, the perfect sacrifice!
How does the cross save a sinner?
By Christ dying in the place of sinners. He loved me and gave Himself for me, and His death has completely paid my sins.
Read Pilgrim’s Progress. You might be able to get into heaven without reading it by why take any chances?!
We should glory in, rejoice in, boast in the cross for what it has done for us but also for what it has done to us.
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Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Three crucifixions in verse 14
- The cross of the Jesus Christ
- The world’s cross
- The Christians cross
( I suddenly feel woefully inadequate in my preaching…thanks Tom)
The cross of Jesus Christ changes how you view yourself and what is important and valuable to you. The world is crucified to us. We are crucified to the world.
Not just the justification but the sanctification
Richard Baxter: When your flesh would have it’s pleasure, remember Him who’s flesh had no pleasure…
Everything good thing that has come to us was bought for us on the cross of Jesus Christ
Addressing the problem of false teachers. Trusting Jesus was not enough, they must also keep the Old Testament ceremonies.
Faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone+NOTHING
(Dr. Ascol starts off right away by addressing unbelievers in the audience, which is great. It is easy to assume that those at a conference like this would all be saved, but you can never assume that and never should stand in the pulpit without calling sinners to repentance)
We are all born legalists and have that tendency always within us.
Gal 3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
Is grace but the threshold into right relationship with God, faith gets you in but works get you on? That thought keeps us from treasuring Jesus Christ.
For a Christian the cross of Jesus Christ is everything.
There are some things that we love to talk about. There is something everyone glories in, that we can talk quickly and joyfully about. But what do we take the greatest joy in, boast the most about? For the Judaizers it was performance.
The Judaizers added to the Gospel by requiring new Gentile believers to be circumcised, so that “they may boast in your flesh.” (v. 13). Their boast was in their performance not in the cross of Christ.
But not even those who are circumcised keep the Law.
Their keeping of certain ceremonies meant nothing
Gal 6:15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Keeping circumcision means nothing, not being circumcised means nothing.
It would be a mistake to assume that because we are here at a Reformed Christian conference, that we are freed from legalism or that we are freed from sin. (Tom is presenting the Gospel again. That is the sign of a true soul winner, a true evangelist!)
To any degree that we allow our performance to be part of the foundation that God finds us forgiven, we are not valuing Jesus Christ and His cross.
We you are having a good day, you will feel good about yourself, and the opposite when you don’t do devotions or witnessing. The basis cannot be in our performance.
Legalists boast in their performance, Christians boast in the cross of Christ.
Christ’s cross work saves us. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. If you sin, someone has to die.
Behold the Lam of God! Here He is, the perfect sacrifice!
How does the cross save a sinner?
By Christ dying in the place of sinners. He loved me and gave Himself for me, and His death has completely paid my sins.
Read Pilgrim’s Progress. You might be able to get into heaven without reading it by why take any chances?!
We should glory in, rejoice in, boast in the cross for what it has done for us but also for what it has done to us.
------
Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Three crucifixions in verse 14
- The cross of the Jesus Christ
- The world’s cross
- The Christians cross
( I suddenly feel woefully inadequate in my preaching…thanks Tom)
The cross of Jesus Christ changes how you view yourself and what is important and valuable to you. The world is crucified to us. We are crucified to the world.
Not just the justification but the sanctification
Richard Baxter: When your flesh would have it’s pleasure, remember Him who’s flesh had no pleasure…
Everything good thing that has come to us was bought for us on the cross of Jesus Christ
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