Burning Relevance of These Doctrines

Driving home: And so these doctrines are like a whip to scourge a sinner away from his sin. And a magnet to draw him into the way of life and of righteousness...

The doctrines of hell and heaven are likened to a whip to drive sinners from sin and a magnet to draw them to Christ, serving as an organizing principle for the sermon's first main point.

In the hand of the Holy Ghost to drive sinners away from their love and attachment to sin in the direction of Christ and heaven and the cross and repentance and faith and on the other hand particularly the doctrine of heaven is like a magnet that pulls them into that way and so these doctrines are like a whip to scourge a sinner away from his sin. And a magnet to draw him into the way of life and of righteousness and of necessity we must be selective but let's look at several passages in which the whip and the magnet are clearly seen with reference to getting sinners into the way in Matthew's ...

12:25 - 13:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The life of Moses (Hebrews 11:24-26) is presented as a powerful illustration of a mature, settled decision to refuse worldly pleasures and identify with God's people, motivated by…

The story of Moses refusing to be called Pharaoh's daughter's son and choosing to suffer with God's people, motivated by the 'recompense of reward,' illustrates how the hope of heaven drives a life-altering decision for conversion and commitment.

Most of you have had at least a little acquaintance with Moses the great man of God whose life begins.

31:34 - 31:41 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The life of Moses (Hebrews 11:24-26) is presented as a powerful illustration of a mature, settled decision to refuse worldly pleasures and identify with God's people, motivated by…

The instability of youth, characterized by changing career aspirations, is contrasted with Moses's mature, settled decision, highlighting that his choice was not impulsive but a resolute commitment based on eternal perspective.

What was it that enabled Moses. Not in the impulse of unstable youth. For remember the mark of youth is what. Be no more children.

33:49 - 34:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The doctrines of heaven and hell are presented as powerful motives for the serious mortification of sin. Martin cites Jesus's vivid calls to amputation (Matthew 5:29-30), Paul's…

Jesus's vivid imagery of plucking out an eye or cutting off a hand (Matthew 5:29-30) is used as a metaphor for the radical, serious nature of mortification of sin, motivated by the fear of hell.

Now, do heaven and hell enter into the motivational complex to take mortification seriously? You bet your boots they do. In Matthew chapter 5, the Lord Jesus underscores this as he's calling the subjects of his kingdom to a life of constant mortification. He does so under the vivid imagery of amputation and discarding Matthew chapter 5, verse 29.

39:53 - 40:25 Read in full sermon

The point: When sin proposes itself, remember that the issues at stake are heaven and hell, and no one will go far in mortification who regards them as anything less.

Paul's analogy of a runner striving for an incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:25-27) illustrates the self-control and discipline required for mortification, motivated by the eternal reward.

And he was not only preaching that to others, he believed it for himself. 1 Corinthians 9. He believed it for himself. In the chapter in which he is speaking of the liberties that he has willingly relinquished for the sake of the gospel, and then moves on into the imagery of a runner determined to win the race, the apostle says, verse 25, and every man who strives in the games exercises self-preservation, control in all things, they do it for what purpose?

43:12 - 43:42 Read in full sermon

The point: When sin proposes itself, remember that the issues at stake are heaven and hell, and no one will go far in mortification who regards them as anything less.

The idea that mortification is only about gaining a 'bigger or smaller bag of yo-yos' (rewards) is used to illustrate a trivialized view of sin that leads to living carelessly, contrasting with the true eternal stakes of heaven and hell.

Heaven and hell. And no one will go far in the work of mortification who regards the issues as anything less than that. Convince yourself it's only a matter of a bigger or smaller bag of yo-yos, and you'll end up living like the devil.

45:17 - 45:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Have mercy on those in doubt and save some by snatching them out of the fire.

The phrase 'snatching them out of the fire' (Jude 23) is used as a vivid metaphor for the urgency and motivation in evangelism, driven by the reality of hell.

And on some have mercy who are in doubt and some save snatching them out of the fire. What a picture. Some save. Snatching them out of the fire.

56:07 - 56:18 Read in full sermon

The point: If experiencing dark providences, consider that God may be seeking to rivet your eyes more firmly on heaven, detaching your heart from earthbound affections.

The imagery of God putting a 'worm in the gourd' of earthly relationships, material success, or physical health (alluding to Jonah) illustrates how God uses trials to detach believers from worldly affections and redirect their eyes to heaven.

Could it be that one of the reasons God has brought all of these dark providences upon you is He wants to get your eyes more firmly riveted on another place? Things were going so well that you really, really began to get pretty earthbound. Things and relationships down here began to subtly turn your heart away from single-hearted devotion to Christ. So God's put a worm in the gourd of some of your most precious earthly relationships.

60:10 - 60:49 Read in full sermon