vassal of the King

The Golden Chain of God’s Work in Salvation—Romans 8.28–30 Christ Fellowship Bible Church Geoffrey R. Kirkland Many have termed Romans 8:28-30 the golden chain of salvation as it encapsulates a number of theological truths in just a few verses. Verse 28 affirms that, for the believer who has been called according to God’s purpose and who loves God, God will in fact work all things together for good. This good is conforms to God’s sovereign purposes. It should be stated at the outset that Romans 8.28-30 refers quite specifically to a particular group — and not to universally everyone. This is seen by the relative particle οὓς which draws back to the concluding phrase of verse 28: “those that are called according to God’s purpose.”  So it is those who are called who receive the promise that God causes all things to work together for good. I. God Foreknew. The first word Paul uses is προέγνω speaking of God’s foreknowledge. Does this verse refer to the truth that God knows ah

Family Worship — Its Need, Structure, and Defense. By Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church I want to provide a simple defense for family worship and show why it is needed so desperately in our world today. I also want to give a simple way to structure family worship so that it does not become dull, boring, rote, or legalistic. I.  THE NEED for Family Worship The family unit in our world is confused, conflicted, and outright rebellious against the ordained establishment of God in the Garden of Eden (Gen 1-2). Because our world has muddied the waters regarding what the family is and how a family is to function properly, family worship is needed. The call for family worship also comes from the reality that most families that go to church in our modern world do not practice family worship — nor have they any idea what it is or why it is necessary. The need for family worship exists because godly families that are structured biblically, centered on Christ’s glory, and oft-m

My good friend, Tony Miano , and I went open-air preaching at the North Hollywood Metro station a few days ago. Many people (and Christians) ask: is street preaching really all that effective? Here is what Tony said over at his blog about the day & a conversation with a lady named Elizabeth: Recently, I wrote : "I repeatedly receive emails from Christians who are led by presumably well-trained pastors, who seem to check hermeneutics and exegesis at the door of evangelism. While I will always be there to encourage my discouraged brethren, I will never again engage theologians who allow their prejudices and fears to cause them to swap exegesis for eisegesis. I will never do it again, because of the Matts in the world. "As long as the Lord gives me a voice and breath in my lungs, I will continue to preach the gospel in the open-air." The Lord encouraged me again, yesterday, to not bother arguing about the relevance, propriety, and effectiveness of o

Here is my latest article on: What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?   What Is The Gospel Of Jesus Christ? By: Pastor Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church THE GOSPEL The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message of good news that God has provided a way to deliver man from God’s eternal judgment that he rightly deserves because of his sin. GOD God is infinitely holy, righteous, just, and good. He is the sovereign King of heaven and earth who made everything and thus owns everything. Everything exists because of Him and for Him. He is infinitely pure and eternally holy. He cannot look upon sin — any sin — with favor. He cannot overlook a sin. Sin is lawlessness and is, therefore, a violation of God’s holy, just, and righteous Law. MAN Man is created in the image of God and bears the imprint of God in his being. At the same time, man has become completely corrupted by sin thoroughly. Since Adam’s sin in the garden of Eden, all his posterity — that is, every single hu

One of the gravest realities in our world today is no different than how Moses described the world in the early parts of Genesis: Genesis 6:5  Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Sin plagues our culture like a parasite that never dies. Over the last few weeks, I've had the privilege of addressing the topic of sexual purity as we at Christ Fellowship Bible Church have worked our way verse by verse through the book of 1 Thessalonians. Coming to 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, I dealt with one of the clearest paragraphs in the NT on sexual purity. Here are the links to my three-part series . 1. Passionately Pursue Sexual Purity — part 1: 1 Thess 4:3 (What was the 1st c. Roman culture like in Thessalonika? What is Marriage? Is Sex the Issue or Is it Lust? What is Sexual Immorality [πορνεία]? ) 2. Passionately Pursue Sexual Purity — part 2: 1 Thess 4.4-6a (Control Your Body

If you're looking for some quick fix, an easy answer, a one-and-done solution, then you'll never really understand the nature of the fight. And if you promise easy, once-for-all victories to others, then you'll never be much help to them. The day of 'completion' will not arrive until the day when Jesus Christ returns (Phil. 1.6). When we see him, then we will be like him perfectly (1 John 3.2). The wiping away of all tears, the taking away of every reason for sorrow, crying, and pain, will not come until God lives visibly in our midst (Rev 21.3-4). Someday, not today, all things will be made new (Rev 21.5). Much of the failure to fight well, pastor well, counsel well, arises because we don't really understand and work well with this long truth. And later on, Powlison continues: The Bible is always about behavior, but it is never only about behavior. God's indictment of human nature always gets below the surface, into the 'heart.' His gaze and W

Because of the plight of sinners, we as preachers must not be ashamed to beg people to repent & be reconciled to Christ (2 Cor 5). See how Charles Spurgeon applied his text & begged sinners to repent & come to Christ: Now, one or two lessons. A lesson to the proud . Come down, proud hearts, come down! Mercy runneth in valleys, but it goeth not to the mountain top. Come down, come down, lofty spirit! The lofty city, he layeth it low even to the ground, and then he buildeth it up. Again, a lesson to thee, poor despairing soul : I am glad to see thee in God's house this morning; it is a good sign. I care not what you came for. You heard there was a strange kind of man that preached here, perhaps. Never mind about that. You are all quite as strange as he is. It is necessary that there should be strange men to gather in other strange men.  Now, I have a mass of people here; and if I might use a figure, I should compare you to a great heap of ashes, mingled

This Sunday we have the privilege of having our first baptism at Christ Fellowship Bible Church .  The Sunday evening schedule is a bit different, so please take note of the following schedule and please make it a priority to attend!!

This Saturday the Preacher’s Fellowship meets yet again at Christ Fellowship Bible Church . This small group of men meets regularly for a time of teaching on homiletics (=preaching), then a man preaches, and finally we conclude with a time of discussion on the sermon we just heard and how it could be improved. God is raising up men who love Him, love His Word, walk in integrity, and who desire to take the meaning of Scripture and proclaim His Word clearly, boldly, persuasively, and biblically to His people! To God be the glory! 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.