Christ Evangelical Reformed Church (CERC)

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Why Are So Many Against Reformed Theology?

JESUS' STORY
God made this world for himself.

Life in this world was made to reflect his nature: his goodness, love, and righteousness.

Humanity was made to enjoy him in his world.
Under his rule, they could live happily his way, in peace and in thankful obedience, service and dependence on him.
But we human beings attempted to live independently of God in his own world.

We denied God’s rule by denying his teaching about us and about life under him.

This was evil and the world was corrupted by it.
Conflict and confusion ensued.
The good life gave way to destruction, disease and death.
God calls this sin.
Sin now has a dominating influence over all human beings.
Its effects are devastating.

Our denial of God is a denial of who we are made to be under God, and we are therefore denied the perfect life under God. This is God’s righteous judgment of a rebellious race, and there will be a final accounting for all human beings when they come to face to face with God.
But God is righteously committed to his good plan for his world, including to his people, made for his glory.

For human beings, death and conflict with God and with each other is not the life He has in mind as the final outcome.
God continued his loving rule by revealing that the future of this world lay in the godly rule of a great king and saviour.

In this ruler would be life as God intended for man to be able to live.
But sin especially had to be dealt with, in its corrupting effects, and at its very source, man himself.
And so, God sent his Son to be man as this ruler to live life as man should have lived it under God.

As God’s Son, Jesus established God’s kingdom, laying the foundation for the renewal of this world.

God proclaimed the establishment of His Son’s kingdom by the power of His Spirit, defeating destruction, disease, death and even demons.

God’s rule was established by the teaching of Jesus in the way, the truth, and the life of the people of God.

God’s people were enabled to serve Him in new lives by God’s Spirit giving them understanding of Jesus’ teaching.
Their sin was dealt with by Jesus taking their punishment, by offering himself in their place.

Jesus died and resurrected for His people to bring glory to God. He died and freed them from their love of the sin that brought death, so they could serve with new lives the living God. He was raised from the dead because his death was for this glorious purpose.
Jesus’ resurrection means that God’s proclaiming of a new kingdom under his Son’s eternal rule is true, and all who follow the Son will have forgiveness and new life in this kingdom of God’s rule. Jesus’ own life and resurrection is proof of all that is possible in the new humanity of a fully renewed world to come.
Jesus challenges us to recognise God’s rule.
We must submit to God’s Son and receive forgiveness, a new mindset and relationship with God.

This peace with God and love for him, is available only in His Son’s rule. As Lord, Jesus has authority to forgive and give this new life through his Spirit. Therefore, today is a day of hope. God commands all of us, to turn from a life of rebellious sinfulness against God, to seek his mercy, and to depend on God for his life.
God’s promise is that those who reject their own lives to live God’s life under Jesus, will be forgiven, and will receive the gift of His Spirit to live obediently to the Lord Jesus.
God’s promise is that those who reject their own lives to live God’s life under Jesus, will be forgiven, and will receive the gift of His Spirit to live obediently to the Lord Jesus.

But whoever continues to assert their independence from God is still under his wrath and will be finally excluded from God’s world together with all that is evil.

But whoever continues to assert their independence from God is still under his wrath and will be finally excluded from God’s world together with all that is evil.
If you have repented and committed to submitting to Jesus and trusting him,
know this:

As Lord, Jesus continues to rule His kingdom by his teachings and will bring to completion one day God's renewing work in this world. At His return, the reality of Jesus and his kingdom will be revealed to all, exposing our actions and accountability for the lives we have lived without God. The evil and corruption of sin will be fully defeated so that we may experience the life and peace of God's glorious world. Those who eagerly await his Son's return and live for Him, will continue to live in this wonderful life of God's renewed world in the near future.