Scriptural Authority

Scriptural Authority

Weekly Update – July 28th, 2022

As we continue to watch the downgrade of our culture, we must remember how important it is for the church to remain counter-cultural to all that we see around us.  There is pressure from many angles to capitulate to what are quickly becoming the norms of society in terms of the sexual revolution, the idolatry of self, and the general acceptance of immorality.  The only hope we have as the church to resisting these temptations is the truth that has been communicated to us by God himself.  Upon this truth, we must plant our feet firm so that when we are “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine,” we are not cast down and assimilated into our culture, but instead we “grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:14-15). 

Here is an excerpt from a sermon given by Martin Lloyd-Jones describing the importance of holding onto the word of God as a church.  This was written over 50 years ago and it is still just as applicable today:

“There can be no doubt whatsoever that all the troubles in the Church today, and most of the troubles in the world, are due to a departure from the authority of the Bible. Human philosophy took the place of revelation, man’s opinions were exalted and Church leaders talked about ‘the advance of knowledge and science’, and ‘the assured results’ of such knowledge. The Bible then became a book just like any other book, out-of-date in certain respects, wrong in other respects, and so on. It was no longer a book on which you could rely implicitly.

There is no question at all that the falling away, even in Church attendance, in this country is the direct consequence of the departure from the authority of Scripture.  The whole situation is one of drift; and very largely, I say, it is the direct and immediate outcome of the doubt that has been cast by the Church herself upon her only real authority. Men’s opinions have taken the place of God’s truth, and the people in their need are turning to the cults, and are listening to any false authority that offers itself to them.

We all therefore have to face this ultimate and final question: Do we accept the Bible as the Word of God, as the sole authority in all matters of faith and practice, or do we not? Is the whole of my thinking governed by Scripture, or do I come with my reason and pick and choose out of Scripture and sit in judgment upon it, putting myself and modern knowledge forward as the ultimate standard and authority? The issue is crystal clear. Do I accept Scripture as a revelation from God, or do I trust in speculation, human knowledge, human learning, human understanding and human reasons Or, putting it still more simply, Do I pin my faith to, and subject all my thinking to, what I read in the Bible? Or do I defer to modern knowledge, to modern learning, to what people think today, to what we know at this present time which was not known in the past? It is inevitable that we occupy one or the other of those two positions.”

In order to be a people who fulfill our mission to speak out and live out the gospel, we must be grounded in scriptural authority.  God has spoken to us, and his very words are recorded for us in a book.  For it is in these words that we find, as we saw last Sunday, what God has given to us is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).  Therefore, we as the people of God must unite together around the truths contained in this book, because if we find ourselves clinging to anything else, then we are one step towards being overtaken by our culture.  God’s word and its proclamation is the means by which God has ordained for our faithfulness to him.  May we find ourselves abiding in Christ as his words abide in us (John 15:7).       

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson

Written by Pastor
Michael Nelson

Fighter Verse for the Week

You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. - Psalm 91:5-6

Announcements:

White Bible Ceremony: All ladies of the church are invited to meet in the Fellowship Hall at 2:00pm on Sunday, August 7th for a White Bible Ceremony in honor of Rachel Blankenship and Kamto Eze. A reception and shower will follow. Rachel and Kamto are registered on Amazon and at Target.

Home Groups: New home groups will be forming on Sunday, September 11th. More information will be available soon.

Awana Bible Club: Awana opening night is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28th. Dinner will be held at 6:00pm and Awana will be held 6:30-8:00pm.

Bible Study

Join us in the Sanctuary at 9:15am on Sunday mornings for a study titled “The Pursuit of Holiness.” A women’s Bible Study also meets at the same time at the end of the hall near the nursery.

Giving

To Give Online, Go HERE

You can also mail your offering to: 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. 64030

Home Groups

Home Groups meet 5:30pm-7:30pm on Sundays through the summer. You can find more information about home groups HERE.

Prayer

An updated Prayer Guide can be accessed HERE

Prepare for Sunday

Guide for Worship can be found HERE

Worship Service

Worship Service begins at 10:30am on Sunday mornings. Nursery care for children ages 0-3 years is available during the worship hour. 

Livestream

Continue to join us at 10:30am on Sunday mornings. 

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Join us and invite a friend or family member to watch with you.   

Sunday School

Children and Youth Sunday School take place at 9:15am on Sunday mornings. 

Pre-K and Kindergarten meet in the nursery suite.

Grades 1st – 5th meet upstairs in U-5.

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