Difficulties to Endure Along the Narrow Way, #4

In this part of the sermon: He turns to James 1:27, where James addresses 'notion Christianity' and emphasizes that true faith works. Martin introduces the analogy of a bride determined to keep her white…

Used to explain that while true religion has multiple components (bridled tongue, compassion), keeping oneself unspotted from the world is an indispensable, vital part, just as a beating heart is vital to human life.

Now let me try to illustrate. Standing before you is a breathing, active human being. My beating heart, my breathing lungs, being a human being. I've got other organs, vital organs, some of which, take them out of me and I'm done. Can't function without them.

22:59 - 23:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He turns to James 1:27, where James addresses 'notion Christianity' and emphasizes that true faith works. Martin introduces the analogy of a bride determined to keep her white…

An extended parable of a bride on her wedding day, determined to keep her white gown spotless from former suitor's rascals throwing mud. This illustrates the conscious, deliberate effort required to keep oneself 'unspotted from the world' (James 1:27) and the spiritual alertness needed against Satan's attempts to defile believers.

Imagine you're back in the days before automobiles. When if you wanted to go from one place to another with any measure of dignity, you had a horse drawn. And here is the way in her previous, it's of her love life. There was a man who was even engaged to him. But as she got, was blown away.

26:34 - 27:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Shudder inwardly at the thought of spiritual adultery with the world, just as you would at literal adultery, recognizing your marriage covenant with Christ.

Used to provoke an inward shudder at the thought of literal adultery, thereby highlighting the even greater horror of spiritual adultery for those married to Christ.

Friendship with the world. He calls them adulteresses because they are seeking to reestablish friendship with that lover whom they forsook and are married now, a covenant fidelity that committed themselves to be true godly wives. And I want you to think for a moment. If someone should propose to you in the coming week that you commit literal adultery with a man, what would your internal reaction be? Someone actually proposed that you meet a certain man at a certain place, be with him long enough to go to bed with him, break your marriage covenant. I hope you shudder inwardly at the very though...

45:05 - 46:20 Read in full sermon

The point: As a church, do not be afraid to be different from worldly Christianity pervading evangelicalism; stand with the light of the Bible in preaching, singing, reading, and worship.

An extended quote from Winslow's 'Morning Thoughts' on Romans 12:1-2, detailing the opposition between the life of faith and the love of the world, and urging believers to guard against conformity to the world in dress, living, education, wealth, honors, pleasures, friendships, and media consumption.

what are you going to do with it individually where are we going to go as a church a worldly Christianity that pervades the landscape of evangelicalism today afraid to be different afraid to say until from our Bibles we see in our Bibles that we ought to do something other than what we are doing we stand with the light we have to pray the Bible to preach the Bible to sing the Bible to read the Bible to listen to the voice that comes from the world through certain Christian circles to let it come in and dictate what we do in the worship of our God I close by reading something my wife and I read...

62:00 - 63:29 Read in full sermon