WHAT IS A RESTORATION CHURCH?

A Restoration Church

and Salvation

§ The central mission of the CHURCH is to PREACH and TEACH the GOSPEL .

MARK 16:15-16

(15)”He said to them, "Go into all the world and

preach the good news to all creation.

(16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,

but whoever does not believe will be

condemned.”

§ The first duty of preaching the

gospel is to

CONVICT OF SIN

§ Until a person is CONVICTED OF SIN, everything else God says to us, is useless, Salvation has no real meaning to one who does not know his lostness.

§ In this culture, one of the most difficult things to do is convince people of their LOSTNESS.

§ There is no sense of SLAVERY TO SIN, in

‘FREE’ America

§ Jesus, Stephen, Peter and Paul all had one focus, to the people to whom they preached, and that was the people’s lostness and desperate need of the gospel.

2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as

some understand slowness. He is patient with

you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone

to come to repentance.”

Luke 19:10

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to

save what was lost.“

Ephesians 2:1,2

(1) “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

(2) in which you used to live when you followed the ways

of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the

air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are

disobedient. “

§ Paul declared the meaning of being lost in sin.

Ephesians 2: 11,12

(11) “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)--

(12) remember that at that time you were separate

from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and

foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without

hope and without God in the world”

Acts 17: 29-31

(29 )"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not

think that the divine being is like gold or silver or

stone--an image made by man's design and skill.

(30) In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he

commands all people everywhere to repent.

(31) For he has set a day when he will judge the world with

justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof

of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

§ Perhaps the greatest DESCRIPTION, and

DEPICTION, of sin and its horror, is found

in the CROSS OF CHRIST.

I Peter 2:24

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;

by his wounds you have been healed.”

2 Corinthians 5:21

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for

us, so that in him we might become the

righteousness of God.”

Isaiah 53:5

“ But he was pierced for our transgressions

he was crushed for our iniquities; the

punishment that brought us peace was upon

him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

§ Paul sets forth MAN’S TRAGIC, LOST

CONDITION and God’s PROVISION OF GRACE

Romans 3: 23-26

(23) “…for all have sinned and fall short of the

glory of God,

(24) and are justified freely by his grace

through the redemption that came by

Christ Jesus.”

cont.

(25) “God presented him as a sacrifice of

atonement, through faith in his blood. He did

this to demonstrate his justice, because in

his forbearance he had left the sins

committed beforehand unpunished—

(26) he did it to demonstrate his justice at the

present time, so as to be just and the one who

justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

§ The Restoration perspective we have studied together, is perhaps most vital as we deal with the issue of GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION.

§ By restoration perspective or viewpoint, I mean that it is the ongoing obligation of every generation to continually restore the TEACHING and

PRACTICES of the inspired, Apostle led, First

Century Church.

§ God created man and, though we have all sinned and forfeited our right to eternal life, He loves us and has acted all through history to bring us to this time of his COVENANT OF GRACE.

Hebrews 8:7-12

(7 ) “For if there had been nothing wrong with that

first covenant, no place would have been sought

for another.

(8) But God found fault with the people and said:

“The time is coming, declares the Lord when I will

make a new covenant with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.”

(9) It will not be like the covenant I made with their

forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead

them out of Egypt, because they did not remain

faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from

them, declares the Lord.”

(10)This is the covenant I will make with the house of

Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put

my laws in their minds and write them on their

hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my

people.”

(11) No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a

man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,'

because they will all know me, from the least

of them to the greatest.

(12) For I will forgive their wickedness and will

remember their sins no more."

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one

and only Son, that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in

this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for

us.”

Galatians 4:4-6

(4) “But when the time had fully come, God sent

his Son, born of a woman, born under law,

(5) to redeem those under law, that we might

receive the full rights of sons.

(6) Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of

his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls

out, “Abba, Father."

§ This glorious plan of the ages, the Gospel of The Grace of God, is now to be made known by the church.

Ephesians 3:8-12

(8) Although I am less than the least of all God's

people, this grace was given me: to preach to the

Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

(9) and to make plain to everyone the administration of

this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in

God, who created all things.”

(10) “His intent was that now, through the church,

the manifold wisdom of God should be made

known to the rulers and authorities in the

heavenly realms,

(11) according to his eternal purpose which he

accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(12) In him and through faith in him we may

approach God with freedom and confidence.”

§ God’s working with man through the ages finds its fulfillment in the church; in Christians; as we, the redeemed ---

TAKE THE GOSPEL

TO THE WORLD!

§ … Speaking of God’s people under the new covenant, Paul describes us as those; … “on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”

( 1 Corinthians 10:11)

§ The church of Jesus has as its central mission the preaching of the gospel “…go make the disciples (teach) all nations “ ( Matthew 28:19)

§ MEN AND WOMEN MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL!

“… they will all be taught of God” (John 6:45)

§ We must all come to have faith, and this comes by hearing the

WORD OF CHRIST!

Romans 10:17

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the

message, and the message is heard through

the word of Christ.”

§ FAITH (true belief and trust), is our response to God’s amazing grace.

Ephesians 2: 8,9

(8) “For it is by grace you have been saved,

through faith--and this not from

yourselves, it is the gift of God--

(9) not by works, so that no one can boast.”

§ This faith , when genuine, will lead us to obedience to the gospel commands of REPENTANCE and BAPTISM.

§ God has always demanded Repentance because of the nature of sin in our lives. We must CHANGE OUR MINDS and TURN from sin in loving response to his love and grace.

Titus 2:11,12

(11) “ For the grace of God that brings

salvation has appeared to all men.”

(12) It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and

worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,

upright and godly lives in this present age,

I John 4:19

“We love because he first loved us”

Matthew 22:37

Jesus replied: " `Love the Lord your God with all

your heart and with all your soul and with all your

mind.'

§ Sorrow for sin because we see his love for us, and sorrow for sin because of our love for him, is the only thing that truly leads to REPENTANCE, ...Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation”

(2 Corinthians 7:10)

§ As we are forsaking the world and turning to him, confessing our faith takes place and is a continuing principle of the Christians’ life.

MATTHEW 10:32

"Whoever acknowledges me before

men, I will also acknowledge him

before my Father in heaven.”

Romans 10: 8-10

(8) But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in

your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of

faith we are proclaiming:

(9) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the

dead, you will be saved.

(10) For it is with your heart that you believe and are

justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and

are saved. “

§ When we believe in our hearts the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and his love and grace has led us repent and confess him before men, only one thing remains; our obedience, (surrender) in baptism.

Acts 2:37,38

(37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the

heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “

“Brothers, what shall we do?"

(38) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one

of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the

forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the

gift of the Holy Spirit.”

§ In Paul’s account of his own conversion, he tells us of his coming to believe in Jesus; his repentance evidenced by his question, “ what shall I do Lord” (Acts 22: 10);

and then the question by Ananias,“…what are waiting for?

Get up, be baptized and WASH YOU SINS AWAY, calling on his name.” ( Acts 22: 16)

§ Since only the blood of Christ can wash away sin, it is a necessary conclusion that baptism is the point at which we reach the blood of Christ. ( Receive the benefits of his death for us)

(Matthew 26:28)

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for

many for the forgiveness of sins.”

§ Baptism is not presented in scripture as a good work that I can do, which in itself will cause God to forgive me; but rather as a RESPONSE OF FAITH.

§ Do you believe in the Gospel?

§ Are you moved to repentance?

§ Will you confess His glorious name?

§ Will your trust in the Gospel prompt you to fully surrender to Him in you OBEDIENCE IN BAPTISM?