First Presbyterian Church of Villa Rica
Order for the Worship of God
SUNDAY, June 12th, 2022, 11 AM
At Church and Online
(Live Stream and Online Bulletin)
Nursery 10 AM to 12 PM
10 AM Bible Study for all ages
11 AM Worship Services
GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
“Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.” – Deuteronomy 4:10
PRELUDE TO WORSHIP
(As we prepare our hearts for worship let us quiet our hearts and our cell phones.)
Prelude Worship Song
Worship Live Stream Bulletin
Sermon: by Reverend Thomas Myers
“God’s Riches To The World;
God’s Regenerating Grace In Action”
Romans 11:11-16, Romans 1:13-17
View Live Service: Bulletin/Order of Worship
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
INVOCATION
(All Scripture references are from the English Standard Version, ESV, unless otherwise noted.)
Worship through Hymn of Thanksgiving
“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
Verse 1
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and Salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to his temple draw near,
Join me in glad adoration.
Verse 2
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so Wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently Sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen
How thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what he ordaineth?
Verse 3
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and Defend thee!
Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend Thee;
Ponder anew
What the Almighty will do,
If with his love he befriend thee.
Verse 4
Praise to the Lord, who with marvelous wisdom Hath made thee,
Decked thee with health, and with loving hand Guided and stayed thee.
How oft in grief
Hath not he brought thee relief,
Spreading his wings to o’ershade thee!
Verse 5
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises Before him!
Let the amen
Sound from his people again;
Gladly fore’er we adore him.
Worship through Responsive Reading of
Psalms 47 and 48
(NIV) Psalms 47
(For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.)
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
(NIV) Psalm 48
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
2 Beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
the city of the Great King.
3 God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress.
4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,
5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.
6 Trembling seized them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
shattered by an east wind.
8 As we have heard,
so we have seen
in the city of the LORD Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
forever.
9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love.
10 Like your name, O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them
to the next generation.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.
Worship Through Songs of Praise:
“Jesus Messiah”
Verse 1
He became sin who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled Himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing love so amazing
Chorus 1
Jesus Messiah Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners
The Ransom from heaven
Jesus Messiah Lord of all
Verse 2
His body the bread His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled and the veil was torn
Love so amazing love so amazing
Bridge
All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You God
The Light of the world
Chorus 2
Jesus Messiah Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners
The Ransom from heaven
Jesus Messiah Lord of all
“Jesus Paid It All“
Verse 1
And I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all
Chorus 1
‘Cause Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Verse 2
Lord now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone
(Chorus 1)
Verse 3
And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat
(Chorus 1)
Interlude
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
He washed it white as snow
He washed it white as snow
Chorus (3x)
Oh praise the One Who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead
Jesus – Ending
PASTORAL PRAYER
….Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
WORSHIP THROUGH TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Offertory Worship Music:
“O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus!”
Verse 1
O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free;
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of thy love;
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To thy glorious rest above.
Verse 2
O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Spread his praise from shore to shore;
How he loveth, ever loveth,
Changeth never, nevermore;
How he watches o’er his loved ones,
Died to call them all his own;
How for them he intercedeth,
watcheth o’er them from the throne.
Verse 3
O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Love of ev’ry love the best:
‘Tis an ocean vast of blessing,
‘Tis a haven sweet of rest.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
‘Tis a heav’n of heav’ns to me;
And it lifts me up to glory,
For it lifts me up to thee.
Children Released to Children’s Church
Exposition of God’s Word
Sermon: by Pastor Thomas Myers
“God’s Riches To The World;
God’s Regenerating Grace In Action”
Romans 11:11-16, Romans 1:13-17
Scripture Text
Romans 1:13-17
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 11:11-16
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
(for further study info: scroll down)
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Worship through Hymn of Commitment:
“More Love to Thee, O Christ”
Verse 1
More love to thee, O Christ,
More love to thee!
Hear thou the prayer I make
On bended knee;
This is my earnest plea,
Chorus
More love, O Christ, to thee,
More love to thee,
More love to thee!
Verse 2
Once earthly joy I craved,
Sought peace and rest;
Now thee alone I seek;
Give what is best:
This all my prayer shall be,
(Chorus)
Verse 3
Let sorrow do its work,
Send grief and pain;
Sweet are thy messengers,
Sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me,
(Chorus)
Verse 4
Then shall my latest breath
Whisper thy praise;
This be the parting cry
My heart shall raise,
This still its prayer shall be,
(Chorus)
Benediction
Doxology: Hymn #731
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav’ly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
THIS WEEK AND UPCOMING EVENTS
SMALL GROUPS TODAY:
Whittle/Dickinson Group: Meeting today at 5 PM at the Brittain’s. Cliff and Debbie will bring clam chowder, Mike will bring his famous homemade bread.
Sad to see the Dickinson’s go, but excited for them in this new chapter of life.
This Sunday will be the Dickinson’s last Sunday at FPCVR, as they are moving to Florida. Debbie and Cliff have been members at our Church for many years and have served in numerous capacities. We wish them well though they will be missed.
Please join the congregation immediately following the Church service in the fellowship hall this Sunday, as we wish them farewell. Please bring a light refreshment, dessert or finger food to share. A cake will be provided. Then, join us for their last regular small group meeting at the Brittain’s.
Mitchell/Forlaw Group: On break for the summer and will resume in the fall. Please feel free to take advantage of this time to visit with other groups.
Myers/Maserjian Group: This small group will meet today starting at 5:30 at the Maserjian home. 2587 Chipping Ct. Villa Rica
PRAYER CARDS
Please complete the prayer request form in the right margin of this page (bottom of page on your phone or tablet). There are also index cards next to the bulletins on the tables in the back. Pastor Tom would like to know how he can pray for you. You may enter your request in the form on this page, put them in the offering box, or hand them to Pastor Tom.
MISSIONARY OF THE MONTH
Please be in prayer for Daniel and Lydia Mathuva.
Rev. Daniel Mathuva and Lydiah
Rev. Mathuva is an ordained Minister in good standing with Africa Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Kenya. He has served as a Minister and church planter in this church since 1988, since then he has planted 9 churches and is currently planting a 10th one. Serving with Equipping Leaders International (ELI) to train church leaders.
“Since the Lord called me into church planting, I found myself raising and training church leaders and handing over the planted church to these leaders I have trained. In all 9 churches I have planted I have trained a pastor and through the presbytery I would hand over the church to him as I move forward as to plant a new church or minister to a church that calls me.
I came to a realization that God was calling me to raise and train Church leaders for the body of Christ. It was in 2012 when I volunteered with Equipping Leaders International to train church leaders and since then I have done training in many parts in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
In 2019 I became a full time faculty with ELI and a National Project Director in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
My clear Mission is seeing the Church Leaders trained in preaching true and sound doctrine so that in turn they can train others.”
Prayer Request: “I am coming to the USA from 1st June, will be visiting friends, supporters and looking to expand my list of supporters. Prayer with me and introduce to me any willing person, churches and friends who can stand with me. My prayer is that this time God can give me 10 people to be my supporters
God bless you! For Christ glory and extension of his kingdom”
DATES TO REMEMBER:
TIME with PASTOR TOM
Pastor Tom is in office on Tuesdays from 1-3pm at our church office at 303 Main Street, Villa Rica. Call for an appointment, or just drop in.
COMMUNION
We will be sharing in the Lord’s supper today.
WIC
The ladies will start meeting the 4th Friday of every month for lunch and fellowship. Please contact Donna for details.
VBS
Vacation Bible School is happening this summer! July 11-15 from 6-8 pm. Please put these dates on your calendar and pray on how you can help. Contact Jeannie with any questions.
CHURCH FELLOWSHIP LUNCH:
We will have our church lunch and fellowship next Sunday the 19th after the morning service. Please bring a dish to share.
SERVING SCHEDULE
Children’s Church
June- Josh and Kelsey Whittle
July- Tiffany Campbell
August- Richard & Mary Ashlock
Nursery Helpers
June 19th – Ariel Whittle
July 3rd – Kayla Forlaw
July 17th– Noelle Eckstein
This Week in Our Church Life
HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS
Prayer Group now meets Wednesdays via Zoom at 7 PM.
Call the church office for info.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY
Wednesdays at 10am, PRECEPT BIBLE STUDY
Debbie is leading a study on the gospel of John. The Gospel of John study will continue though May and will resume in the fall. There will be a 5 week summer study on Nehemiah. Please contact Debby if interested so books can be purchased. For more info call Debby or the church office. If childcare is needed contact Jeannie.
Other Resources
Kingdom Outreach: See our Missions and Outreach Page
What is Happening this Week, this Month? Visit our This Week page.
A YEAR IN TABLETALK
You are invited to join us in reading through Tabletalk devotions for the year of 2022. Monthly editions will be available by the offering box in the Sanctuary. You can purchase a subscription by calling 1-800-435-4343 or by visiting the Table Talk website. You can also begin a free subscription through the website.
Continue to pray and encourage one another.1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Philippians 2:3-4
(ESV) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The Elders and Deacons of First Presbyterian Church of Villa Rica.
Secondary Resources for Further Study
(The Bible itself being the only Living, Infallible, Sufficient, and Authoritative rule of faith and practice.)
Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 10 Effectual Calling Paragraph 1
- At the right time, appointed by him, God effectually calls all those and only those whom he has predestined to life. He calls them by his word and Spirit out of their natural state of sin and death into grace and salvation through Jesus Christ. He enlightens their minds spiritually with a saving understanding of the things of God. He takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh. He renews their wills and by his almighty power leads them to what is good. And so he effectually draws them to Jesus Christ. But they come to Jesus voluntarily, having been made willing by God’s grace
Chapter 15 Repentance Leading to Life Paragraph 1, 2 & 5
- Repentance which leads to life is the blessed product of the gospel working in believers’ lives.1Along with the doctrine of faith in Christ, it is a doctrine to be preached by every minister of the gospel.
- In this repentance the sinner is able to see his sins as God sees them, as filthy and hateful, and as involving great danger to the sinner, because they are completely contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God. Understanding that God in Christ is merciful to those who repent, the sinner suffers deep sorrow for and hates his sins, and so he determines to turn away from all of them. And turning to God,3 he tries to walk with him according to all his commandments.
- Believers should not be satisfied with general repentance. Rather, it is everyone’s duty to try to repent of every individual sin individually.
Chapter 18: of the assurance of grace and salvation
1. Hypocrites and other unregenerate men may deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions about their being in God’s favor and about their being saved. Their presumptions will die with them. However, those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus, who honestly love him and try to walk in good conscience before him, may in this life be assured with certainty that they are in a
state of grace. They may also rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, and they will never be ashamed of that hope
2. This certainty is not based on the fallible hope of guesswork or probabilities. Rather, it is the infallible assurance of faith, established on the divine truth of the promises of salvation. There is also the inner evidence of spiritual insight, given to us by God, to which these promises are directed. And there is the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits
that we are the children of God. This Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance. By him we are sealed until the day of redemption.
3. This infallible assurance is not so essential to faith that a true believer may not have doubts and conflicts about it, possibly wait some time for it, and grow into it. But since the Spirit enables believers to know the things which are freely given to them by God, every believer may come to a full assurance of salvation by the ordinary working of the Spirit without unusual revelation.
Therefore it is every believer’s duty to establish the certainty of his calling and election so that his heart may be filled with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, with love and thankfulness to God, and with strength and cheerfulness of obedience. These are the true
products of assurance, which is never conducive to an undisciplined life
Chapter 10 of effectual calling
Paragraph 1 All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.
Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 14 of saving faith
Paragraph 1 The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts ,and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word, by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.
Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 16 of good works
Paragraph 2 These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the Gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.
Canons or Dort of divine predestination
Article 1
Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God
would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the
curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. As the apostle says: “The whole world is liable to the
condemnation of God” (Rom. 3:19)“All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God”(Rom 3:23) and “The
wadges of sin is death” (Rom.6:23)
Article 7
Election [or choosing] is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following:
Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, he chose in
Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its
own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin. Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving
than the others, but lay with them in the common misery. He did this in Christ, whom he also appointed from
eternity to be the mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation.
And so he decided to give the chosen ones to Christ to be saved, and to call and draw them effectively into
Christ’s fellowship through his Word and Spirit. In other words, he decided to grant them true faith in Christ, to
justify them, to sanctify them, and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of his Son, to
glorify them.
God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of his glorious grace. As Scripture
says, “God chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, so that we should be holy and blameless
before him with love; he predestined us whom he adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, by which he freely made us
pleasing to himself in his beloved” (Eph. 1:4–6) And elsewhere, “Those whom he predestined, he also called;
and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30)
W.C.F
Chapter 10 of effectual calling. Paragraph 1
1. At the right time, appointed by him, God effectually calls all those and only those whom he has predestined to life. He
calls them by his word and Spirit out of their natural state of sin and death into grace and salvation through Jesus Christ.1
He enlightens their minds spiritually with a saving understanding of the things of God.2 He takes away their heart of stone
and gives them a heart of flesh.3 He renews their wills and by his almighty power leads them to what is good.4 And so he
effectually draws them to Jesus Christ.5 But they come to Jesus voluntarily, having been made willing by God’s grace.6
1. Rom 8.28,30, 11.7, Eph 1.5,10-11, 2 Thes 2.13-14, 2 Cor 3.3,6, Rom 8.2, 2 Tm 1.9-10, Jn 15.16, Acts 13.48, 1 Thes
5.9, Jas 1.18, 1 Cor 2.12, Eph 2.1-10. 2. Acts 26.18, 1 Cor 2.10,12, Eph 1.17-18, 2 Cor 4.6. 3. Ez 36.26. 4. Ez 11.19, Phil
2.13, Dt 30.6, Ez 36.27, Phil 4.13, Jn 3.5, Gal 6.15, Ti 3.5, 1 Pt 1.23. 5. Eph 1.19, Jn 6.44-45. 6. Sg 1.4, Ps 110.3, Jn 6.37,
Rom 6.16-18, Mt 11.28, Rv 22.17; see under figure 5 above.
W.C.F
Chapter 14 of saving faith. Paragraph 2
2. By this faith a Christian believes whatever is revealed in the word to be the true, authentic, authoritative statement of
God himself.4 By this faith the believer also acts according to what particular passages in the word say. By faith the
believer humbly submits to and obeys God’s various commands.5 He trembles at God’s awesome threats,6 and eagerly
embraces his promises about this life and the life to come.7 But the chief actions of saving faith are accepting, receiving,
and resting on Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, in the power of the covenant of grace.8
4. Jn 4.42, 1 Thes 2.13, 1 Jn 5.10, Acts 24.14. 5. Rom 16.26, Mt 22.37-40. 6. Is 66.2. 7. Heb 11.13, 1 Tm 4.8. 8. Jn 1.12,
Acts 16.31, Gal 2.20, Acts 15.11.
W.C.F Chapter 11 of Justification
2. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the only means of justification. In the person justified, however, it is always accompanied by all the other saving graces and is not a dead faith, but works by love.
W.C.F Chapter 16 of Good Works
2. These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruit and evidence of a true and living faith. By them believers show their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance of salvation, edify their brothers in the Lord, and become ornaments of all those who profess the gospel. Good works in believers silence the criticism of the enemies of the gospel. They also glorify God by showing that believers are the workmanship and creation of Jesus Christ, because their aim is that holiness of living which leads to eternal life
W.C.F Chapter 18 of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
2. This certainty is not based on the fallible hope of guesswork or probabilities. Rather, it is the infallible assurance of faith, established on the divine truth of the promises of salvation. There is also the inner evidence of spiritual insight, given to us by God, to which these promises are directed. And there is the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God. This Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance. By him we are sealed until the day of redemption.
W.C.F Chapter 3 of God’s eternal decree: Paragraph 3-7
- In order to manifest his glory God has ordered that some men and angels should be predestined to everlasting life and that others should be foreordained to everlasting death.
- This predestination and foreordination of angels and men are precise and unchangeable. The number and identity of angels and men in each group are certain, definite, and unalterable
- Before the creation of the world, according to his eternal, unchangeable plan and the hidden purpose and good pleasure of his will, God has chosen in Christ those of mankind who are predestined to life and to everlasting glory. He has done this solely out of his own mercy and love and completely to the praise of his wonderful grace. This choice was completely independent of his foreknowledge of how his created beings would be or act. Neither their faith nor good works nor perseverance had any part in influencing his selection
- Just as God has determined that the elect shall be glorified, so, too, in the eternal and completely free purpose of his will he has foreordained all the means by which that election is accomplished. And so, those who are chosen, having fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ. They are effectually called to faith in Christ by his Spirit working in them at the right time, and they are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation. Only the elect, and no others, are redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved.
- According to the hidden purpose of his own will, by which he offers or withholds mercy at his pleasure, and for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, it pleased God not to call the rest of mankind and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin to the praise of his glorious justice.
W.C.F Chapter 1, Of the Holy Scripture, Paragraph 1, 4 -7, 9-10
1.Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased. 4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God. 5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work. of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts 6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them. 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly. 10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
Canons Of Dort
The first main point of doctrine, divine election and reprobation
Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People
Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. As the apostle says: “The whole world is liable to the condemnation of God” (Rom. 3:19), “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).
Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love
But this is how God showed his love: he sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (1 John 4:9; John 3:16).
Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel
In order that people may be brought to faith, God mercifully sends messengers of this very joyful message to the people and at the time he wills. By this ministry people are called to repentance and faith in Christ crucified. For “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without someone preaching? And how shall they preach unless they have been sent?” (Rom. 10:14-15).
Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel
God’s wrath remains on those who do not believe this gospel. But those who do accept it and embrace Jesus the Savior with a true and living faith are delivered through him from God’s wrath and from destruction, and receive the gift of eternal life.
Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 10 of Effectual calling
1.All those whom God has predestined to life, and only those, he is pleased to effectually call at his appointed and accepted time, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to come to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. In this call, he enlightens their minds spiritually, in a way effective to salvation, so that they understand the things of God. He takes away their heart of stone and gives to them a heart of flesh; he renews their wills; and by his almighty power he makes them determined to do what is good. This effectually draws them to Jesus Christ, yet in such a way that they come completely freely, being made willing by his grace.
2. This effectual call comes entirely from God’s free and special grace, not from anything at all foreseen in the person, who is completely passive in it until, being made alive and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is enabled by it to answer the call and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.
Shorter Catechism Q&A 31
Q. 31. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
Sunday Schedule:
Nursery Provided 1000-1200 AM
1000-1045 Bible Study for all Ages
1045-1100 Break
1100-1200 Worship (Sanctuary & Fellowship Hall), , plus online live-stream.
We thank the Lord for His faithfulness to us and for His hand of protection. Thank you for your support, encouragement and love for each other during these challenging times.
May we continue to labor together in love for the sake of the gospel and God’s kingdom,
The Session
10:00-10:45 Adult Bible Study in the Fellowship Hall, other ages in various classrooms. (Nursery Provided)
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:00 Worship (Sanctuary, plus live-stream). Fellowship Hall live stream available for overflow and physical distancing.
Children’s Church (Large Classroom)
Nursery Provided 1000 to 1200 AM
If you or your child have flu-like symptoms or a fever, please stay home and enjoy the Online Bulletin and Live-Stream.
We thank you for your prayers, for the willingness you have shown to be diligent in worship, and for your support of FPCVR.
Prayerfully, The Session
