An Expositional Sermon
We can’t trust in our good works, we can’t trust in our heritage for our salvation. Did you grow up in a Christian family? That’s a great thing, but you can’t put your trust in that. Did you grow up going to church? You can’t put your trust in that either. There’s no concept of a Christian who’s not part of a church in the New Testament, but just because you are part of a church, that doesn’t guarantee that you are actually saved through the gospel. You can’t put your trust in the fact that someone told you that your sins are forgiven; you can’t put your trust in the fact that you prayed a prayer once a long time ago. You can’t put your trust in the fact that you walked the aisle. You can’t put your trust in the fact that you were baptized, and you can’t put your trust in the fact that you regularly partake of the Lord’s Supper. The only thing that you can put your trust in is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The only thing that you can put your trust in is that God has given you the faith to believe in the gospel and to repent of your sin. And the repentance that characterizes genuine faith is a life of repentance – fighting with the strength that God powerfully works within us by His Holy Spirit to turn from our sin and trust in Christ daily. Friends, don’t trust in your morality, and by no means trust in the fact that, from your best perception, you seem to be more ethical than everyone else you know. Trust in Jesus Christ alone.
* Noah Braymen preached this sermon at Grand Avenue Baptist Church in Ames, Iowa on July 21, 2013.