Foundation – Sound Biblical Conversion

Driving home: What is the foundation of a life given over to God himself and to his will? Well, according to the scriptures, the foundation of a life of devotion to God begins with a sound biblical conversion to God.

Martin explains the Latin root of 'devote' meaning to dedicate by a vow, illustrating how it implies giving oneself up to a purpose, activity, or person, like a ball player or career-focused individual.

And this will just be an interesting sidelight for some of you. Our English word, devote, comes from a Latin root, which basically means to do something in the way of dedicating oneself or one's possessions with a vow. So to devote something originally meant to dedicate it by a vow. And in our usage, it means to give up oneself.

1:01 - 1:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The core of conversion is identified as 'turning unto God from idols.' Martin argues that the gospel finds humanity turned away from God, wedded to idols, and under God's wrath…

Martin uses the analogy of a man stopping up a pure spring to drink muddy rainwater from a dug-out hole to illustrate the foolishness of humanity turning from God, the fountain of living waters, to find satisfaction in their own ways (idols).

Broken cisterns that can hold no water. What would you think of a man who had a natural well in his own backyard, a spring that came out of the side of the hill, filtered through much rock, pure as pure water can breathe. What would you think of a man who had a construction company come in and pour ten yards of concrete into a big form that he had made to try to stop up that spring, and then dug out a little mud hole in the backyard to catch a little rain water, and once in a while went out and drank the muddy rain water? You'd say that man's a fool.

13:03 - 13:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Kids, listen carefully: 'Hate father, mother' does not mean literally hating your parents, but that Jesus must have a place in your affection so far above any other creature that by comparison, your devotion to Him appea…

Martin clarifies Jesus's command to 'hate father, mother' by explaining it means Christ must have such a preeminent place in affection that love for others pales in comparison, appearing as hatred.

It says in Luke 14, 25, Jesus, seeing the multitudes, turned and said to them, If any man will come after me, he must what? Hate father, mother, brother, sister, and his own life also. Now kids, listen carefully. That doesn't mean you've got to turn around and go, Mom, I hate you.

28:05 - 28:27 Read in full sermon

The point: You must soberly count the cost of what it means to be a true Christian.

The story of the rich young ruler is used to illustrate someone unwilling to turn from their idol (riches) to follow Christ on His terms, demonstrating that true conversion requires relinquishing anything that rivals God.

Remember the rich young ruler? He wanted to go to heaven. He said, good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? I want to go to heaven when I die.

29:51 - 30:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: True conversion is attended by a disposition to 'serve the living and true God' as a willing bond-slave. Martin defines a slave as having no will, reputation, or property of their…

Martin describes a slave's morning routine, emphasizing that a slave makes no plans of his own but presents himself to his master to receive instructions, illustrating the disposition of a bond-slave to God.

Well several things. Number one, he makes no plans of his own. When a slave gets up in the morning he doesn't go over and look in the mirror and say, well John, lovely day today. Now what shall we do with the twelve hours of day?

34:24 - 34:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: They didn't get saved in January and surrendered in June. Nor did they get saved in January and never surrendered and just lose a few rewards when they get to the judgment seat of Christ. All of that teaching is not only…

The example of a slave's reputation being bound up with his master's (e.g., ill-fed or well-fed reflecting on the master) illustrates that a bond-slave of God has no reputation of his own, but God's glory is reflected through him.

Not only does he have no will of his own, he has no reputation. He has no reputation of his own. You see, his reputation is bound up in that of his master. How he looks, if he looks ill fed, it doesn't reflect upon him.

35:04 - 35:18 Read in full sermon

The point: Do you know anything of those two handmaidens, those two attendants of true conversion: the disposition to serve that God as a slave and to count it your privilege, and to eagerly await his son out of love and attachment…

Martin shares a personal anecdote about his daughters eagerly anticipating their weddings, constantly talking about 'garden and wedding,' to illustrate the eager anticipation believers should have for Christ's return due to their love and attachment to Him.

I've lived for going under 29 years not with the idea of a wife but with a wife a living flesh and blood woman who embraces me who rebukes me when I need it who's born my children who's wept with me who's laughed with me who has shared joy and sorrow my needs as a man can only be met in a real live living personal woman and that's true in relationship to God it is the living and the only God who really is that's the God to whom we turn in true conversion to be his bond slave and then having turned to him through Jesus Christ our heart's affection is focused upon him and because it's focused up...

52:02 - 53:31 Read in full sermon

The point: My friend, have you seen that that tidal wave of God's wrath will break upon your head unless you're attached to Christ, unless you know God through Christ? If not, I solemnly declare to you that's the truth: the wrath o…

The wrath of God is described as a 'tidal wave' already built up and on its way to break upon lost humanity, illustrating the imminent danger from which Christ delivers believers.

we're pilgrims and soldiers determined to serve our God as bond slaves with every bit of strength he gives us but this is not our resting place we eagerly await for the Son out of the heavens and how is he identified? look at the latter part of the text even Jesus whom he raised from the dead it's the exalted resurrected Christ whom we wait for and he's the Christ whom we think of as the one who has delivered us from the coming wrath and the picture is vivid Paul describes the wrath of God as something that's already coming like a tidal wave that's already built up in the ocean and it's on its...

55:12 - 56:39 Read in full sermon