Framework – Our Position Before God

In this part of the sermon: Introducing the sermon's main theme, Martin uses the analogy of building a house to explain that after the foundation, the 'framework' determines the shape and form of a life…

The analogy of erecting a building's framework after the foundation is laid is used to explain that the 'framework' of devotion determines the precise shape and form of a Christian's life, just as a building's framework determines its size and shape.

The framework of true devotion to God. Last night we considered the foundation. But now if you're erecting a building, after you've put in the footings and laid the foundation, then you set up the framework of that house, that building, that church, whatever it is. And it is that structural framework which determines the exact size and shape of the building. We're going to talk about that in a second.

4:58 - 5:31 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Introducing the sermon's main theme, Martin uses the analogy of building a house to explain that after the foundation, the 'framework' determines the shape and form of a life…

Martin shares a personal anecdote about his church's two-stage building program, where the framework of the second phase already reveals the final shape of the building, reinforcing the idea that the 'framework' of doctrine shapes one's life.

For example, we hope to move in one month, at last, into our final place of ministry for at least a while. We've been several years in a two-stage building program. We've built the first stage, completed it in January of 81, and we've been worshiping there, two stories, with a temporary auditorium and Sunday School classrooms below, building about 12,000 square feet. And we've outgrown it, and phase two is just about completed.

5:31 - 6:02 Read in full sermon

The point: You will never experience a life of true devotion to God unless you have some clear understanding of your true position before God, rooted in the Bible and imparted by the Holy Spirit.

Martin recounts picking up a hitchhiker who claimed to be 'for Christ' but couldn't explain what that meant, illustrating the danger of vague, nebulous notions of salvation instead of a clear understanding.

Now when I say we must have a clear understanding, I mean we've got to have something more than that. I'll never forget picking up a hitchhiker one time years ago when it was still legal to do so. And I began to witness to him, and I finally had a chance to ask him, are you saved? He said, oh, yes, I'm saved.

8:41 - 9:00 Read in full sermon

The point: You will never experience a life of true devotion to God unless you have some clear understanding of your true position before God, rooted in the Bible and imparted by the Holy Spirit.

The legal term 'apprehension' (police laying hold of a criminal and keeping them in custody) is used to explain that believers must 'lay hold of' and 'keep in custody' the truths of their position before God in their hearts.

Now, I use the word apprehension because it. Accurately states what I want to say. Now, you pick up your paper Monday morning and you read. On such and such a day, the police apprehended Mr. John Doe for such and such a criminal offense.

10:21 - 10:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: it is only in the context of a clear understanding and a constant apprehension of my position as justified, that devotion to God will really thrive and flourish.

The story of the returning prodigal son having his tattered clothes removed and a beautiful robe placed upon him illustrates the two sides of justification: taking away sin and conferring righteousness.

He imparts something, like the returning prodigal. He not only had his tattered clothes and rags taken from him, he had the beautiful robe placed upon him. In justification, God does those two wonderful things. First of all, He completely, irrevocably pardons all of our sins, never to bring upon us His wrath against sin.

19:06 - 19:42 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first aspect of the believer's three-fold position is justification. Martin explains it as a two-sided work of God: the complete pardon and non-reckoning of all sins (the…

The untranslatable Hebrew word for 'blessed' is compared to granola, a mixture of oats, nuts, and grains, to convey that 'blessedness' encompasses happiness, spiritual peace, tranquility, and fulfillment.

It's untranslatable. It's sort of a mixture like your granola's. It's got some oats in it and some other nuts and other grains. And they're all mixed up and that makes granola.

23:17 - 23:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Whatever our responsibilities, our devotion to God is nurtured by the constant remembrance of our position before Him as justified sinners.

The example of a husband and wife dropping a divorce suit and reconciling is used to illustrate reconciliation as the removal of enmity and the restoration of amity and love.

and unreprovable before him you were once enemies you now have been reconciled now what's the biblical idea of reconciliation reconciliation reconciliation reconciliation while we read in the paper that so-and-so and so-and-so had gone down that horrible road of filing for divorce but seeking counsel or under counsel the husband and the wife dropped their divorce suit and they were reconciled where once there was enmity leading to separation and dissolving of the marriage now there is once again amity and love and face-to-face comun contants and in reconciliation you have again these quinn sai...

37:29 - 38:55 Read in full sermon

The point: If I am to know what it is to increase in devotion to God, I must come to a clear understanding and present apprehension of this glorious truth: I am reconciled to God, His enmity removed, and His positive friendship con…

A story about a neighbor who stops cussing but doesn't offer friendship is used to distinguish between the removal of enmity and the conferral of positive friendship, emphasizing that God does both in reconciliation.

It's like you have a neighbor and you did something, you didn't know what, that really got the guy upset. And every time you went by, he cussed and swore at you until finally it got to you and you said, Hey, friend, what in the world have I done? And he says, Well, you remember such and such and such. And you say, Yeah, but I...

41:12 - 41:29 Read in full sermon

The point: We must regard ourselves as God regards us, as friends of God, and not live at a distance from Him.

Martin shares a personal experience of trying to nurture friendship with a brother whose heart didn't seem to reciprocate, illustrating the frustration when friendship isn't mutual, and applying it to God's desire for intimacy with believers.

Have you ever known what it is to try to nurture friendship with someone against whom you had no enmity and towards whom you had positive feelings of friendship and you had opened, as it were, your heart to take them into the place of a close friend? And they weren't mad at you, but they simply would not draw near. Have you known that frustration? I've known it.

43:33 - 43:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin uses an extended illustration of a king and a notorious rebel to vividly portray the three-fold position: pardon for crimes (justification), acceptance as a friend…

An extended story of a king and a notorious rebel in his kingdom is used to illustrate the three aspects of the believer's position before God: pardon (justification), acceptance as a friend (reconciliation), and formal adoption as a son and heir (adoption).

Let me try to illustrate it this way. All illustrations walk on half a leg or one and a half legs, but at least they help illustrate if they're illustrations. Go back to the days when there were, and kings had unilateral power to destroy, to punish, to incarcerate all who rebelled against their rule. And imagine now, there was a notorious rebel in this man's kingdom.

53:52 - 54:21 Read in full sermon