Our Advocate

21 October 2014

Print this Entry

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”(1st John 2:1-2)

Many times when I discuss the doctrines of grace with someone, they often say, “Well, if I believed like you, I would live my life any way I wanted to!”

By this statement, they are implying that, since salvation is by grace, then we have no duty to be obedient to the word of God. I will answer that the same way Paul did, “GOD FORBID!!”

Our actions cannot secure our eternal salvation or else no one would be saved because no one can live up to that perfect mark. And since our sins were forgiven on the cross, they cannot be counted against us in that judgment.

Having said that, we must remember that grace also teaches that the child of God is given a new nature. It is at war with the old sinful nature, but nevertheless, the new nature is there. This means that we can no longer sin and not feel the consequences of it.

Rather than jumping on the idea of freedom to sin all we want, Christians should realize that we already sin more than we want. We are sick of it. Therefore, we should realize that Jesus died for us, and He continues to stand as our advocate when we sin. There is no eternal condemnation for our sins because our Savior pleads His own blood for our sin.

With this in mind, we have Liberty to serve the Lord in thankfulness rather than as a work toward salvation. We no longer live under the law of sin and death. God views us as a Father not a judge. Therefore, He chastened those He loves like every good father does.

Tags: 1st_john, justification, sin

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.

Living in Liberty

Elder Bryce Lowrance

Content

This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content. This is some content.