I define these words in the context I will be using them, as it seems in our day and age, many words' definitions have been muddied by misuse. I use the Webster's 1828 Dictionary meaning, because it implies the spiritual aspect of the meaning, not just the secular. (especially since these are "spiritual" words) Our dictionaries now-a-days have been made generic, in that the spiritual definitions have been excluded. If interested, you can look up words online by searching the title. Kind of fun to see the old meanings ;0)
SER'MON, n.
1. A discourse delivered in public by a licensed clergymen for the purpose of religious instruction, and usually grounded on some text or passage of Scripture. Sermons are extemporary addresses or written discourses.
MES'SAGE, n. [L. missus, mitto, to send.]
1. Any notice, word or communication, written or verbal, sent from one person to another. We send a servant with a verbal or written message.
DOCTRINE, n. [L., to teach.]
1. In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. Hence a doctrine may be true or false; it may be a mere tenet or opinion.
1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct. 2. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life.
3. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.
REMIS'SION
Forgiveness; pardon; that is, the giving up of the punishment due to a crime; as the remission of sins. Matt. 26. Heb. 9.
On our trip, we were in southern California and drove by a building which was called Such-and-Such Soul Factory. We wondered what it was, so handily searched the internet on the Blackberry and found out it was a church (of all things!). I think they maybe should have titled it "Soul Healing Factory" or "Soul Saving Factory", but that is just my opinion. It got me to thinking about sermons and what makes for a "good" one or a "bad" one. I've been listening to different ones intently over the last year or so, and have come to a few conclusions which I'll share (which is the actual point of this post today).
Luke 24:47 says that "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name (Jesus) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." To me, that is the sum and total of what a sermon should be. To save sinners. The inside of ones soul must be cleansed, by the blood of Jesus, not just polished from the outside. But the problem comes that people don't want to hear that. It hurts our pride and pricks our consciences. So many pastors are resorting to "user-friendly" sermons that instead tell us what we can do to make our lives better here on this earth. You hear alot on tithing, giving to the poor, relationship psychology, etc., but rarely do you hear about sin and what to do about it. The verse in Acts 26:14 comes to mind when Jesus says, "Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus who thou persecutest...(v.18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Following Jesus is not easy on our flesh. It requires dying to self each day, but the rewards He offers are so much more than we could ever fathom.
The interesting thing though, is that if your conscience is clean, hearing about sin has no sting. It's reassuring to hear that your sins (yes, YOURS) have been forgiven. If you have sin on your conscience, hearing about it prompts you to take care of it in the proper fashion. In my listening lately, I've found that every text in the Bible can be used for preaching the repentance and remission of sins. The way of salvation is interspersed throughout the whole sermon, while learning the many other truths of God's Word.
Last year I prayed that God would show me the difference between what I was hearing at church, and what I was hearing on the radio. To the untrained ear, preaching may all sound the same. In church it came to me loud and clear one Sunday. What I was hearing fed my soul. It filled a need that no practical message could fill. And that is why it's so hard to explain the difference. It doesn't matter how eloquent the pastor is, or how intellectually deep the sermon is, but if he preaches the repentance and remission of sins in Jesus' name, it's food for a hungry soul!
So what are we to do now? I would ask yourself these questions. These are questions I've been asking whenever I hear a sermon.
1) Does it feed my soul or my flesh (as in things I can do to make me a better person)?
2) Does it tell me what to do with my sin? (and others who may not be yet Christians)
3) Does it reassure me that I am God's child and that Jesus died for me?
4) Does it prompt me to read my Bible more, seek His will more, listen to my conscience more, and stand up for the truths of Scripture that are continually being attacked by the world?
5) Learn the difference between tradition and doctrine. Often they are lumped together, when they are very distinctly different. Some doctrine is tradition for good reason (such as the way of salvation), but tradition is not doctrine! The only way to know doctrine is to study and learn it from the Bible and theologically sound books. The Bible will determine false doctrine from sound doctrine.
REPENT'ANCE, n.
REMIS'SION
Forgiveness; pardon; that is, the giving up of the punishment due to a crime; as the remission of sins. Matt. 26. Heb. 9.
On our trip, we were in southern California and drove by a building which was called Such-and-Such Soul Factory. We wondered what it was, so handily searched the internet on the Blackberry and found out it was a church (of all things!). I think they maybe should have titled it "Soul Healing Factory" or "Soul Saving Factory", but that is just my opinion. It got me to thinking about sermons and what makes for a "good" one or a "bad" one. I've been listening to different ones intently over the last year or so, and have come to a few conclusions which I'll share (which is the actual point of this post today).
Luke 24:47 says that "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name (Jesus) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." To me, that is the sum and total of what a sermon should be. To save sinners. The inside of ones soul must be cleansed, by the blood of Jesus, not just polished from the outside. But the problem comes that people don't want to hear that. It hurts our pride and pricks our consciences. So many pastors are resorting to "user-friendly" sermons that instead tell us what we can do to make our lives better here on this earth. You hear alot on tithing, giving to the poor, relationship psychology, etc., but rarely do you hear about sin and what to do about it. The verse in Acts 26:14 comes to mind when Jesus says, "Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus who thou persecutest...(v.18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Following Jesus is not easy on our flesh. It requires dying to self each day, but the rewards He offers are so much more than we could ever fathom.
The interesting thing though, is that if your conscience is clean, hearing about sin has no sting. It's reassuring to hear that your sins (yes, YOURS) have been forgiven. If you have sin on your conscience, hearing about it prompts you to take care of it in the proper fashion. In my listening lately, I've found that every text in the Bible can be used for preaching the repentance and remission of sins. The way of salvation is interspersed throughout the whole sermon, while learning the many other truths of God's Word.
Last year I prayed that God would show me the difference between what I was hearing at church, and what I was hearing on the radio. To the untrained ear, preaching may all sound the same. In church it came to me loud and clear one Sunday. What I was hearing fed my soul. It filled a need that no practical message could fill. And that is why it's so hard to explain the difference. It doesn't matter how eloquent the pastor is, or how intellectually deep the sermon is, but if he preaches the repentance and remission of sins in Jesus' name, it's food for a hungry soul!
So what are we to do now? I would ask yourself these questions. These are questions I've been asking whenever I hear a sermon.
1) Does it feed my soul or my flesh (as in things I can do to make me a better person)?
2) Does it tell me what to do with my sin? (and others who may not be yet Christians)
3) Does it reassure me that I am God's child and that Jesus died for me?
4) Does it prompt me to read my Bible more, seek His will more, listen to my conscience more, and stand up for the truths of Scripture that are continually being attacked by the world?
5) Learn the difference between tradition and doctrine. Often they are lumped together, when they are very distinctly different. Some doctrine is tradition for good reason (such as the way of salvation), but tradition is not doctrine! The only way to know doctrine is to study and learn it from the Bible and theologically sound books. The Bible will determine false doctrine from sound doctrine.
