June 25, 2023

June 25 — 11 AM Worship

You can find the order of worship and songs here.

= = =

How can we be sure that our sins are forgiven? This seemingly simple question about assurance of salvation has divided Christians, wrecked lives, and drove people mad. Yet those with eyes to see and ears to hear find that Scripture is not silent concerning this critical question. Our God is a kind Father, and he does not leave his children wondering if their Father loves them!

Our assurance of salvation is not the fruit of our psychological introspection. How can we possibly look at our fractured souls and damaged lives and claim to see in them incontrovertible proof of our salvation? But notice what God says through the prophet Ezekiel (36:22–27). First of all, God promises salvation "not for your sake…but for the sake of my holy name…" God has staked the integrity and the reputation of his name on our salvation. That is, our salvation stands not on the shaky foundation of our resolve or psychological "evidence," but rather on the Lord's zeal for the glory of his name.

Second, the Lord says "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you." The cleansing that we require is not the removal of dirt from our body, but the purifying of our defiled souls. The New Testament sacrament of baptism is the necessary counterpart to this promise. It is not the amount of water used that determines the spiritual reality of forgiveness. Nor is baptism, in the first place, our pledge of faith to God. Rather, baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit bring to the foreground the honor of God's name. Baptism declares to us that God's zeal for the honor of his name is both the reason and the assurance of our salvation.

That is, we can be sure of our salvation, not because we find sufficient evidence for it in our own hearts or lives, but because our salvation rests on God's zeal for the glory of his name. That is a foundation that will never be shaken.

= = =

Growth Resources

This Year: Please see the full list of 2023 books as well as Bible reading plans on our church webpage: gracefallbrook.church/12-for-23

This Month: For June we are reading "The Legacy of John Calvin: His Influence on the Modern World" by David W. Hall.

This Week: We encourage you to make use of:

  1. Kevin DeYoung's "The Good News We Almost Forgot" pages 126–129, Lord's Day 26, for personal or family devotions.
  2. "Select Letters of John Newton," Letter 21 (pages 136–140), "Difference between Acquired and Experimental Knowledge."

Hymn of the Week: "Rock of Ages When the Day Seems Long" by Sandra McCracken and Kevin Twit. I love the title of this song. Some days feel longer than others. And on those days we all need to be reminded of God's strong grace. So this song says, "Rock of Ages, when the day seems long, from this labor and this heartache, I have come. The skies will wear out, but you remain the same. Rock of Ages, I praise your name." YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify.

Last week's sermon is available on our church webpage: gracefallbrook.church/sermons.

Upcoming Events and Notices

June 25 (Lord's Day): Please join us for the "Essential Truths of the Christian Faith" for Sunday School lesson: Ch.8 "Interpreting the Bible." Also July 2.

July 31–August 3: The Southwest Reformed Youth Camp will take place at Palomar Christian Conference Center in Palomar Mountain. This Reformed Christian Youth Camp is for junior high and high school students.This year's focus will be on Christ - the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Thank you for your continued support of Grace Fallbrook (PCA). Your loving support makes the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of the saints possible. Please visit gracefallbrook.church/give and click on "Give Online Now." You will be directed to the PCA Foundation where you can give towards Grace Fallbrook (PCA).