What is the Law of God (HC 92-93)

What is a Good Work (HC 91)

A good work is one which meets the right standard, for the right goal, with the right motive.

I.    THE RIGHT STANDARD
    A.    The Threat of Relativism
    B.    The Demand for Autonomy
    C.    Man or God? (Acts 4:19-20; 1 John 3:4)

II.    THE RIGHT GOAL
    A.    The Right thing for the Wrong Reason
    B.    All for the Glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)

III.    THE RIGHT MOTIVATION
    A.    Anything not of Faith, is Sin (Romans 14:23)
    B.    Delight in God
 

Invigorating the New Man (HC 90)

HC Q. 90. What is the making alive of the new man?
Heartfelt joy in God through Christ, causing us to take delight in living according to the will of God in all good works.

Invigorating the New Man, means taking joy in the things of God, so that we obey him more and more.

I.    WHAT AN INVIGORATED NEW MAN LOOKS LIKE
    A.    Would the New Man Please Stand Up
    B.    Made Alive Together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-7)
    C.    Walking in Good Works Prepared Beforehand (Ephesians 2:8-10)

II.    THE POWER BEHIND THE GOOD WORKS
    A.    The Fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24; Romans 8:13)
    B.    The Renewal of the Mind (Ephesians 4:19-24; Romans 12:1-2)
    C.    Learning to Take Joy in the Things of God (Colossians 3:1-8)

Killing the Old Man (HC 88-89)

To be united to Jesus is to break ties with Adam.

I.       Would the Old Man Please Stand Up?
        A.     The Typical Understanding (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9)
        B.     Not Self, but Man (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:45-49)

II.     The Living Dead (Ephesians 2:1-3)
        A.     Dead by Nature (Ephesians 2:1-3; cf. Romans 5:12-21)
        B.     Doing What is Evil (Ephesians 2:2-3; 4:19-21)

III.    Killing the Old Man
        A.     The Challenge (Romans 8:13)
        B.     At War with Adam (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:5-8)

Repenting into the Kingdom (HC 87)

Repentance is a necessary work of God in us to bring us into his kingdom.

I.       The Work of Repentance
         A.      Defining Repentance
         B.     Repentance is a Work of God
         C.     Repentance is our Work, too (cf. Phil. 2:12-13)

II.     The Necessity of Repentance
         A.     Faith and Repentance (cf. James 2:14, 18-20; Acts 11:18)
         B.     Struggling with Repentance (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

The Necessity of Good Works (HC 86)

Because God is the one who begins and completes salvation, good works are a necessary consequence of his work in us.

I.       A Necessary Consequence
         A.     Not Necessary to Save (a Condition) (Romans 3:28; Galatians 5:3)
         B.     Necessary if Saved (a Consequence) (Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:29-30)

II.     Also Necessary for….
         A.     Assurance of Salvation (Luke 6:43-45; cf. James 2:14-26)
         B.     A Faithful Testimony (John 13:35; Matthew 5:16)

Closing the Kingdom (HC 85)

Discipline is loving correction through which sinners are called to repentance and others are warned against falling into sinful patterns.

I.       What Discipline Addresses
         A.     Conduct (1 Corinthians 5; Revelation 2:1-7; 3:1-6; Titus 3:10-11; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Acts 20:28-31)
         B.     Doctrine (Titus 3:10-11; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Acts 20:28-31; Revelation 2:12-17; 3:14-22)
         C.     Private (Matthew 18:15-20)
         D.     Public (1 Timothy 5:20; 1 Corinthians 5)
         E.     Those Inside the Church (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

II.     What Discipline Looks Like
         A.     Different “Kinds” of Discipline
                  1.      Instruction / Training
                  2.      Self-Discipline (1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 2: 6; Proverbs 12:1)
                  3.      Corrective Discipline (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
         B.     Goals of Discipline
                  1.      Correction of the Sinner (Matthew 18:15; 1 Corinthians 5:5)
                  2.      Protection of the Congregation (1 Timothy 5:20)
                  3.      Protection of God’s Honor (Romans 2:23-24)

Opening the Kingdom (HC 84)

HC 84. How is the kingdom of heaven opened and shut by the preaching of the Holy Gospel?
In this way: that, according to the command of Christ, it is proclaimed and openly witnessed to believers, one and all, that as often as they accept with true faith the promise of the Gospel, all their sins are really forgiven them of God for the sake of Christ’s merits; and on the contrary, to all unbelievers and hypocrites, that the wrath of God and eternal condemnation abide on them so long as they are not converted. According to this testimony of the Gospel, God will judge men both in this life and in that which is to come.

The Kingdom of Heaven is opened through the authoritative public and private proclamation of God’s word.

I.    HOW GOD SPEAKS IN THIS WORLD
A.    Word (1 Peter 1:23–25; Romans 10:14-17)
B.    Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14; John 3:5–8)
C.    Public and Private (Acts 20:18-27)

II.    GRANTING AND WITHHOLDING FORGIVENESS (JOHN 20:23; 1 CORINTHIANS 11:19)
A.    The Authoritative Pronouncement (John 20:23; 1 Corinthians 11:17-19)
B.    The Pastoral Benefits

The Keys of the Kingdom (HC 83)

HC 83. What is the Office of the Keys?
The preaching of the Holy Gospel and Christian discipline; by these two the kingdom of heaven is opened to believers and shut against unbelievers.

The Keys of the Kingdom are the authority God has given to leaders in the church to admit people and remove people from its membership.

I.    THE KINGDOM OF GOD
    A.    An Important Concept
    B.    Manifested in the Church
    C.    The Great Threat of Removal (Genesis 17:14; Leviticus 17:14; Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

II.    THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
    A.    The Importance of Leaders (Numbers 12:8; Hebrews 13:17)
    B.    The Danger of Presumption (Numbers 16)
    C.    The Entrusting of Keys (Isaiah 22:17-23; Matthew 16:19; 18:18)