Heavenly Springs

Holding Fast The Doctrines of Grace

The Gospel Preaching Of The Apostle Paul – Sermon Clip By Steven J. Lawson

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Preach, preach, preach! If this powerful clip from one of the conference messages of the 2012 Expositors’ Conference in Mobile, AL with Dr. Steve Lawson and Dr. John MacArthur doesn’t encourage you to keep preaching the Gospel, I don’t know what will.

“When you say, ‘Can God make me become a Christian?’ I tell you yes, for herein rests the power of the gospel. It does not ask your consent; but it gets it. It does not say, ‘Will you have it?’ but it makes you willing in the day of God’s power….The gospel wants not your consent, it gets it. It knocks the enmity out of your heart. You say, I do not want to be saved; Christ says you shall be. He makes our will turn round, and then you cry,”‘Lord save, or I perish!’” – Charles Spurgeon

You can listen to the entire series, and other sermons at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church here. 

Long Live the Queen!

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Theology is the queen of the sciences and all other disciplines are her handmaidens. – R.C Sproul

Theology, it has been said, is the ‘queen of sciences,’ and systematic theology ‘the crown upon the queen.’ – Steve Lawson

Pastor and author Steve Lawson discusses the premiere role of theology in the church.

“Theology is the queen of the sciences and the church has always been strong when she has been enthroned and ruling God’s people. Her subjects live in God’s blessing when this queen, theology, rules in the church. Thus, the importance of theology cannot be overstated. Ultimately, theology is what drives and directs the church because it is theology that makes known God’s glory to His people. Theology is to the church what the concrete foundation and steel beams are to a towering skyscraper – it undergirds the entire structure, strengthening and stabilizing the whole edifice. Theology is to the church what the skeleton is to the human body – it is the framework and strength that holds everything together.

Charles H. Spurgeon, Baptist pastor and author, has spoken poignantly to this central importance of doctrine when he wrote:

‘Be well instructed in theology, and do not regard the sneers of those who rail at it because they are ignorant of it. Many preachers are not theologians and hence the mistakes which they make. It cannot do any hurt to the most lively evangelist to be also a sound theologian and it may often be the means of saving him from gross blunders. Nowadays we hear men tear a single sentence of Scripture from its connection and cry “Eureka! Eureka!” as if they found a new truth; and yet they have not discovered a diamond, but apiece of broken glass. – Charles H. Spurgeon’ “

And to this, we all say, “Long live the Queen!”

Steve Lawson, Theology, 10/17/03 Unpublished Work © 2003 Steve Lawson

Gospel Hope In Evil Days

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Steve Lawson discusses the backdrop against which the Reformation came about. Although it doesn’t describe the current state of affairs to a tee, there are lots of parallels and it is a reminder that we need to pray — because in this terrible mess, “the guiding hand of God” is at work .

“Under the guiding hand of God, the religious, political, economic, and social setting had been uniquely prepared for the Reformation. It was the best of times and the worse of times. Religiously, it was a day of darkness as the rottenness of the Catholic church was seen everywhere, from pope to priest, from dogma to practice. Politically, it was a day of instability as the world was changing from a feudal universal state to a territorial nation-state. Economically, it was a day of international trade, a rising capitalistic middle class, and new markets were emerging. And culturally, it was a day of momentous opportunity with Guttenberg’s printing press starting a publishing boom (1454), Christopher Columbus discovering America (1492) and new lands opening up. Intellectually, it was a time of renewed interest in learning, what with the Renaissance and new universities dotting the landscape. It was a day of change everywhere. But the greatest change would be that brought about by the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Steve Lawson, The Protestant Reformation, page 1, 10/30/ Unpublished Work © 2003 Steve Lawson