God loved us, and chose us to be saved from our sins by our Lord Jesus Christ, who purchased us with His precious blood, and atoned for all of our natural wickedness and active disobedience. Since He has redeemed us from hell and all the power of sin, both body and soul, how can we call Him, "Lord," if we do not do what He tells us! We are bondservants of Christ, and of righteousness now, not slaves of the devil to do his evil will.
What was the end to which God graciously predestined us? To be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29)! How could be that this conforming does not begin in this life, here and now, as we are indwelt by the Spirit of God, joined to Jesus Christ by the bond of faith? Does the Holy Spirit not do any work in us today to make us holy? He is Almighty God, and He is faithful! Therefore, He will certainly produce the beginning of this new obedience in us, even though our sinful flesh is still with us in this life.
By grace alone we are saved, and this cannot be without radical effects in our lives. Our obedience is not the root of our salvation (which Christ finished 2000 years ago on the cross), but it is certainly the fruit. Both those who teach that we are saved by means of keeping any law (such as Arminians who teach that we are saved by the correct use of our supposed "free will"), and those who teach that grace is a license to disobey God's commands are wicked heretics who deny the power of Christ's work of redemption.
Against this, we boast only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fruit of the Spirit displayed in every true Christian's life testifies to His effectual redemption of all those who believe. By God's grace, our pastor preaches this glorious Gospel of grace alone. You can listen to his sermons online, but better yet, come to the worship service, because it is everyone's duty to worship God, and join a biblical church because He is worthy. He is most definitely worthy.
