In Christ Alone - Part 2

Woodrow Kroll here. When you train one pastor in Ecuador, some donor friends are standing by to train a second pastor. Call 833-443-5467 or go online at trainaposter.com.

Every gift counts and now every gift is doubled. trainaposter.com. I'm Brianna from the Outer Brightness Podcast. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds.

Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening to the Truth Podcast Network. Your efforts to reach God, find God, and please God are futile. Do you feel like your faith is dead or alive? Today, Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions. Join us on Finding Purpose, a local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living.

For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and Finding Purpose, you can visit us online at findingpurpose.net or connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Now I'm going to read verse 8 again.

It's so important because this is what's taking place in our country right now, and I'm going to address a very difficult issue in a minute. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ and Christ alone. We've already learned that the Christian life is difficult because we have an enemy whose name is Satan, and he's always trying to come after Christians to cause us to stumble, to trip us up, to lead us astray. That's what happened to Michael English. Satan got hold of him, and it can happen to anybody. No one is beyond Satan's influence, although we have someone in there who's greater than Satan.

Never lose sight of that. So how does Satan work? He works through people. 1 John 5.19 says, We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. Did you realize that the world system is under the control of Satan and his demonic forces? God has allowed Satan to have limited control of the world system that stands in opposition to everything that is holy and good and right. And Satan uses the world system, which he controls, to let as many people as he can down the wide road which ends in the destruction of those billions of souls that are following him down this wide path. How does Satan work? He works through men and women who often speak eloquently and often appear gentle and kind, but they are often wolves dressed up in sheep's clothing. 2 Corinthians 11 verses 13 through 15 says, For such men and women are false apostles, deceitful workmen masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. Right now, Satan is infiltrating the world system he controls with deceptive philosophy that is based on human wisdom and the basic principles of this world.

How is he doing this? Through the media, through our politicians, and even through many ministers, Satan is pushing an evil agenda into our schools, into all over social media, and in many churches. It's an old theory known as critical race theory or CRT.

What is CRT? You can Google and find all kinds of articles, but I like to get something that's coming from a Christian perspective. Standard Reason is a Christian think tank put out an article entitled, Thinking Critically About Critical Race Theory. Now listen, some of what I'm getting ready to say may make you a little uncomfortable. When we talk about racism, it is uncomfortable. But I want you to hear me all the way through before you make a judgment call. And before I begin, I want to quote a black pastor friend named Mal Williams.

Jim, you know him. He said, Our problem is not a skin problem, but a sin problem. And that's the truth. Our problem, and I want you to keep this in the front of your mind as I'm sharing with you what CRT is. Our problem is not a skin problem, it's a sin problem.

Here's what this article says. Critical theory divides the world into two groups, the oppressors and the oppressed. Those groups are made up of smaller cultural groups defined by race, sex, sexual preference, gender identity, and so on. When this world view focuses on race, it's called critical race theory, CRT. It divides people into groups by race, the white oppressors and the oppressed nonwhites.

This is where it's a little uncomfortable, but I've got to get this out, okay, since you understand this theory. According to CRT, the fundamental problem with America is its whiteness, its caste system based on skin color. The lighter your skin, the closer you are to the top of the system. Since the United States was formed by white men, racism has been woven into the tapestry of the American experiment from the beginning, and it continues to corrupt every aspect of American life. Our original sin then, according to CRT, is whiteness. It goes on to say, a culture salivation from that fall begins when the oppressors become woke.

When they see and, I didn't know what woke was, but that's what it means. And when they see and repent from their own sins as oppressors and begin to dismantle the inherently oppressive structures of their culture. Since whites can't see their own racism, according to CRT, they need to learn to see the world through the CRT lens. Only then will racial equality be possible.

Now I want to say this right here. In every ideology, even evil ideologies, there are always elements of truth. But underlining it, there are some errors of falsehood, untruth. And what Satan does, he covers that error with truth so that those who are gullible, who don't really understand, will buy into it.

It's that era of falsehood that he used to destroy, and he is using to destroy our country. Ultimately, critical race theory is rooted in a blend of two world views that have been around forever. Marxism, this is where the oppressor oppressed element comes from, and secular humanism, the belief that humanity is capable of self-fulfillment and rescued by self-effort apart from God. Marxism and secular humanism are totally opposed to God and everything the Bible stands for. And listen, once God is removed, so is any objective standard defining what it means to live a fulfilled moral life. The article goes on to say there's a better alternative to critical race theory.

Do you know what it's called? Christianity. Christianity says our fundamental problem is sin. True original sin places all humanity on equal footing. Red, yellow, black, white, rich, poor, we're all sinners.

No one is exempt. This is why, listen, this is why your world view is so important. What do you believe about the world? What is your source of truth?

How do you make decisions about life? What's right? What's wrong? What's good?

What's evil? As follows of Jesus, the Bible provides the lens through which we see everything. So when you're reading the newspaper, listen to the news. Listen to a minister. Listen and look through this book right here. It's like a pair of glasses.

You just look through. Everything flows through scripture and you determine you reject error and you hold on to truth. So what does the Bible say about the human condition and the real problem with our world? First, Romans 3, 23, we are all what?

Sinners. Racism and bigotry are egregious sins. I grew up in East North Carolina. I worked with more black men than I did white men. And we never had a racial problem.

We were there working together and we loved each other. I played on a basketball team that was primarily black. And I can remember there were some racial problems in Greenville and one time I was in the locker room and it was me and about five black players. And they got around me and said, Russ, the first black brother comes up there and touches you.

We got you covered. I said, right on, brother. Racism and bigotry are evil. And that's an element of truth in critical race theory. And yes, oppressors are sinners, but so are the oppressed in different ways. Second, Christianity provides the best reason to believe that oppression is wrong. Every human being is made in the image of who? God.

Black, white, red, yellow, Jew, Gentile. We're all creating God's image. Genesis 127 says, So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him. Male and female, he created him. And so third, we're all equal in God's sight because each one of us is created in the very image of God. It's not the color of our skin or any other physical characteristic that gives people value, worth and dignity. Rather, being made in the image of God is the great equalizer.

This is where racial unity must begin, that we're made in God's image. By the way, I was driving into my office one morning this week and I was listening to Fox News, and they had on there William Bennett. Remember him, the former secretary of education for the United States? And he mentioned Raleigh on Fox News.

Do you know why? Apparently critical race theory is going to be taught in Wake County public schools, and I got news for you. It will make the race issue worse. It will drive a wedge between black students and white students.

It'll make both sides feel bad. So if CRT is not the answer to racism, what is? That's right, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us exactly what needs to be done in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 14 through 16 where he writes, For He, talking about Jesus Himself, is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.

His purpose, that is God's purpose, was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross by which He put to death. Their hostility. So what are we to do? How are we to respond? We're to stand firm in the faith. We're not to get sidetracked and tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we're to share the good news of the gospel with all men, black and white, red and yellow, rich and poor. And I hate the fact that I'm looking at out here with the exception of one gentleman back there, all white people. This is not the way it's going to be in heaven.

So you know what I want to do for next September? I want you all to try to invite one black friend to come and join us, okay? So when I look out here, it's close to 50-50.

That's the way it's going to be in heaven. In fact, we should have Mexicans in here and Italians and I mean everybody. There you go. We've got one Italian here.

I'm getting tired of looking at a bunch of old white men anyway. But here's what we're to do. We're to keep the main thing the main thing.

What is the main thing? The gospel of Jesus Christ. Only the gospel can bring down this dividing wall of hostility. First between God and man and then between man and man. So how does this gospel work? Number three.

You ready? In Christ alone, we receive grace and mercy. Don't you love that? Look at verses 9 through 15. For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form. And you have been given fullness in Christ who is the head over every power and authority. In Him you are also circumcised in the putting off of the sinful nature.

Not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ. Having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God who raised Him from the dead. You realize that same power is in you if you're in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the power of God. The dynamite of God.

I love this right here. Verse 13, when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having counseled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. In dealing with our friends and family members who are still lost and who are caught up in these false ideologies, how are we to respond to them with grace and mercy? We need to remember what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 1 through 5. At one time we were all just like them, right? Dead in our transgressions and sins in which we used to live when we followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, who is Satan, the Spirit who is now at work and those who are disobedient. All of us lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.

Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions and sin. It is by grace, it is by grace we've been saved. Can you remember a time when you were following the ways of this world?

And isn't it even easy for a Christian to just slip back into that, get caught up in the things of the world? So what did God do for us? He took a dead man like me and made me alive in Christ. Now, if you're in Christ, you're living a brand new life. This is what it means to be born again. This is why it galls me that that minister down at that church, downtown Raleigh, said that Jesus didn't really mean it when He said you must be born again. You've got to be kidding me.

I'm not going to chase that rabbit, okay? It's this new birth that gives us such joy and peace and contentment. All the things that the world is pursuing, we have in Christ, in Christ alone. Second, we've been forgiven all our sins. This is the greatest news for me, that He's forgiven me all my sins. Paul says in verse 14, Having counseled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us, God took it away, nailing it to the cross. But this is really interesting.

I'm not going to give the Greek word because I don't remember it, but this is really interesting. The written code basically refers to the Ten Commandments. I'll also refer to a list of all your sins.

And we've broken all the Ten Commandments. In the time of Christ, what they would do is they would take the indictment, the charge against a criminal, and they would nail it to the top of the cross right above His heads. So when everybody walked by, they could see what He was being condemned for. Why was He up there on the cross?

A murderer, a thief. They did the same thing with Jesus. Remember Pilate had a sign put up there that said, This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. So when the people stood there and read that sign, they understood that Jesus had been disloyal to Caesar because He was claiming to be a king.

At least that was the charge. So what did God do for you and me? He took the law which stands against us, or you could say the list of all your sins that you had to sign.

It was a legal document and it condemns us. And He took it and He nailed it to the cross so that Jesus, it was nailed above Jesus' head. He became legally condemned for that list of your sins and my sins. And then when He died on the cross, the moment a man puts his faith in what Jesus did on the cross, the moment you say, Yes, Lord, I believe you. I receive you into my heart by faith. I want you to be my Lord and my Savior. I want to follow you, Lord. I surrender everything I have to you. The moment God sees that in your heart, He takes that list and He rips it up and He takes it away from you. And He casts it into the depths of the ocean where He remembers it no more. Therefore, now there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

How good is that? So we don't have to worry about death. We don't have to worry about the judgment. And that brings us to our last truth. In Christ alone, and this might be my favorite, we discover freedom.

Look at verses 20 through 23. Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belong to the world, do you submit to its rules? Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch. These rules are all destined to perish with use because they're based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body.

But they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. You see, all of these legalistic... He's addressing legalism. You can't do this, you can't do that. And so legalism says you've got to do this in addition to belief in Christ.

This plus this will save you. Well, that denies the fact that all we have to do is have simple faith in Christ, in Christ alone. Back in Paul's day, there were certain Jews who said that Gentiles, in order to become part of God's family, had to be circumcised. They had to abstain from certain foods.

They had to deprive themselves of other comforts so that it looked like they were living a more modest and humble lifestyle, but it was false humility. And Paul says basically nonsense. We are free in Christ, men, from any form of legalism. You see, that's exactly what the church does so often today. You must go through confirmation. Now listen, all these things are good, confirmation, baptism, but they imply that you're saved through them.

In fact, I had a man one time when we were at Eden Street, came up at the end and said, You've got to be baptized to be saved. I said, I can get a little defensive. I said, No, you don't.

These are fighting words, buddy. I didn't say that to him. He said, You don't have to be baptized. Thief on the cross wasn't baptized. Some denominations go so far that you can't dance. I'm dancing. And last time I checked, David danced before the Lord.

Women are not allowed to wear makeup in certain denominations. They also tell you you must try to be the best person you can be. Remember, Jesus says, excuse me, religion says what?

Do? Jesus says, done. When Jesus died on the cross, He said, It is finished.

And I believe He meant it. The only work that is required for salvation is one work, the work of what? Faith. In John 6, 28, and 29, Jesus was asked, What must we do to do the works God requires? And Jesus answered, The work of God is this, to believe in the one He has sent. Now, this does not mean that a Christian can do anything he desires. We're not free to just go sin. He now lives free in Christ, but He's not free to sin. What does it mean to be free in Christ? It means that you've been set free from the law.

In other words, the law no longer has any legal hold on you. It no longer stands in condemnation of you. Second, it means that you've been set free from the penalty of sin. You do not have to fear death and the coming judgment.

Why? Because you have been given eternal life, and you no longer stand under God's wrath and condemnation. That's what it says in John 3, 36, that those who refuse to believe remain under God's wrath. You see, 1 Thessalonians 1, 10 says that Jesus who rescues us from the coming wrath. When you run to the cross, Jesus rescues you from all condemnation and from any of God's wrath, and you're given eternal life. It means that you are free to live in the power of the Spirit, because the law has been written upon your hearts. Now, men, so God takes the Ten Commandments out here that stood against us, and what does He do with it?

Puts it right here. And when you realize that God has forgiven you of all of your filthy rotten sins, and you begin to read the Bible, what do you want to do? You want to live according to the law, not because you have to, but because you want to, because you want to please your Heavenly Father. I don't want to do anything like I've done in the past that would displease my Heavenly Father. I want to finish the race strong, and Satan is out there every day trying to trip Russ Andrews. Would you all pray for me? The last thing I want to do is embarrass myself, my family, and ruin and bring dishonor to God's glory.

I want to not be disqualified from the race. This is what the Christian life is all about, wisdom, power, grace, mercy, and freedom. Galatians 5, 1 says, It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burned again by a yoke of slavery. Critical race theory is a yoke of slavery. It is enslaving us to our past, and it's only going to cause more racism.

It's only going to wind the divide that already exists. Jesus is the only one who can bring down the dividing wall of racism. Martin Luther King in his famous speech entitled I Have a Dream said, I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. Have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today. And when this happens and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, we will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old spiritual, free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last. Now listen, those are great words. He was a great man, but the only way that Martin Luther's dream, Martin Luther King's dream will ever come true is in Christ, and in Christ alone. Jesus is the only hope for this sin-filled world, and listen, that's why he's called the Prince of Peace.

He's the only one who can bring peace into a man's heart, and when he does, every time he brings peace into a man's heart by faith in the gospel, then that dividing wall is brought down. Now the rest of the story, Michael English finally found peace and freedom, but not until he hit rock bottom. Michael, I haven't read this book, but I want to now, Michael chronicles his fall from grace and subsequent road to recovery in his book, The Prodigal Comes Home.

It is a gritty, harrowing tale of infidelity, divorce, drug addiction, homelessness, and a forgiving and merciful God. Michael entered a detox program where he began to read his Bible again. He took it in there with him, and he said it was not easy. In fact, there were times he wanted to run. In fact, he called his mother one time to come get him, but she wouldn't.

He called other friends to come get him, but they wouldn't, but gradually he got better. Like all of us, he had to own up to a sin. He had to repent and turn back to Jesus, and that's what he did. Day by day, God restored his life to the point where he married once again, and he began to sing. Today he says, I love to sing, Jesus loves me in my concerts. If people hear anything, they need to hear that song, Jesus loves me. We serve a God, he says, of a second chance.

I'm living proof of that. Do you believe that? He's not just a God of second chances, but third, fourth, fifth, you name it. What the world needs now more than ever before is a Savior whose name is Jesus, and Jesus came into this world for one reason, to set the captives free. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this day, and thank you for your Word. Lord, I do pray that you'll bring more men here of all races and religions and that we will one day start to mirror what the church in heaven is going to look like, where every tongue, every tribe, every people group will worship you. We'll all sing Amazing Grace together, I believe, in different languages, and we'll all apparently understand what each other's singing.

And Lord, I long for that day. Lord, we live in such a fallen world, and we're surrounded by so many false ideologies and theories that are based on human tradition, and the church is embracing them. Lord, help us to be men who want to stand for the truth of the gospel, and Lord, help us to keep the main thing, the main thing, that Jesus, you're the way, the truth, and the life, and that you're the only one who can bring down the dividing wall of hostility.

It's in your name that I pray, amen. Being a Christian is not about being religious, but about having a dynamic, alive relationship with Jesus Christ. You've been listening to Finding Purpose with Pastor Russ Andrews, a local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources at findingpurpose.net or connect to Finding Purpose on Facebook. Pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him and over 300 other local triangle men to study God's Word together every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in downtown Raleigh. Find out more at findingpurpose.net. This is the Truth Network.