Sermon on Matthew

Pastor Jacob Gerber preaching on Matthew 7:21-23 - “Knowing The Lord” at Harvest Community Church (PCA) in Omaha, Nebraska on November 6, 2022.

[@1966bluemax]

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[@claytonlewis6459]

On one hand it's full reliance on Christ and his shed blood......and then on the other you must repent from all of your sins(impossible) to be saved. Very intelligent teaching, but man you really came with wisdom of words there and not preaching Christ and him crucified only. Put trust in Christ, not trust in your Reformation or turning from sins.

[@JacobGerber-19baskets]

Brother, thank you for your comment! With affection in the Lord, I would respond by saying that my sermon did indeed proclaim what you are (rightly!) concerned for here. At a broad level, the first point of the sermon announced that we cannot be saved by a hypocritical profession of faith-but in Christ alone. Then, the second point was that we cannot be saved by any good works that we do-but in Christ alone. Third, I argued that the only hope we have is in Christ's blood and righteousness alone. The tension in this passage, though, is that Jesus warns here against hypocrites who profess to trust in Christ falsely. Some claim to believe in Christ, but their works provide evidence against them that they do not truly believe (those who cry "Lord, Lord" but do not do the will of the Father; Matt 7:21). Even so, I wanted to be careful to avoid the very error you are mentioning here. The Scriptures teach that we are justified by faith in Christ alone, but that faith is never alone, but is always accompanied by works. Or, as Paul put it in Ephesians 2:8-10, we are not in the least saved BY good works, but we are saved FOR good works. Our works are not the roots of our salvation, but the fruits. Yet, the ultimate solution is never to put trust in works, but in Christ alone. So, I warned people (32:46), "On what or on whom are you trusting? Are you trusting on Christ or are you trusting in yourself? Your words and your works are what the Bible calls a broken reed of a staff that if you lean upon it, it will break and it will pierce your own hand." But, I also warned people ask themselves whether their faith might be dead faith-that is, no faith at all. Yet, even there as well, I was very clear about the true source of our salvation (33:36): "But he calls us once again not to trust the level of our obedience, but to trust the one in whom we are believing in Jesus Christ. You will be known by your fruits. But remember the basics, the fundamentals, that your fruits are not what you trust upon as your roots. That Christ alone, by grace alone, and by faith alone, is the only hope that we have for salvation."