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Finding God's Grace Greater than our Grief: The Provision for Children (Romans chp 5) - J Stewart Gillespie  

A walk through the old grave yard in New Cumnock, there lies amongst the many headstones the remains of one, incomplete, on which reads the following: 

their 3 children who were born on the 13th March 1870 

and died a son at birth 

a son aged 29 hours 

Mary Craig aged 20 days 

James Craig their son born 27th October 1878 died 28th October 1883 

Mary Craig their daughter born 13th March 1877 died 1st October 1888 

Bessie their daughter born 7th May 1889 died 19th April 1890 

Robert Craig their son born the…

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Romans Chp 5 Vs 6 to 11: 'Rejoicing in Vomit' - J Stewart Gillespie  

A heavy chapter of doctrine, 

Great doctrinal subjects such as: 

The sovereignty of God 
The plan of salvation 
The all sufficiency of Gods Grace 

See in the 3 sections that Gods Grace is sufficient for and Gods purposes are Sovereign over: 

  1. Life's Problems (5:-5) 
  2. Salvation's Plan (5:6-11) 
  3. Man's Plight (5:12-21) 

Or to put it another way He is enough for the: 

  1. Worries of Life (5:-5) 
  2. Weakness of Self (5:6-11) 
  3. Wickedness of Man (5:12-21) 

I can rest in His all Sufficient Grace in: 

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Romans Chp 4 Vs 1 to 8: Justification by Faith is A Full Salvation - Dr J Stewart Gillespie  

Righteousness is Credited (4:1-5) 


Sin is Cleansed (4:6-8) 

 

2 Errors of Mark 10:17-31: 

Salvation is Deserved: “what shall I do that I may inherit...” (10:17); “all these have I observed” (10:20) 


Salvation makes no Demands: salvation ultimately makes the demand of discipleship (Mk8:34), implicit in saving faith is that I see the need for salvation and implicit in this is repentance from the way I was going.

Faith in Christ means turning away from sin, Satan and self. 

Often emphasises the 2 sides to a…

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Romans Chp 3 Vs 21 – 31; 4: 1-12 - Justification by Faith – Is Trusting a Person - Dr J Stewart Gillespie  

3 Key Words: 

Righteousness (v21) – a “righteousness apart from the law” - we considered Gods righteous Standard in chapters 1 – 3 and in this transitional verse we noted a Righteousness from God that is able to bring salvation rather than damnation, justification rather than condemnation. We found an example of a righteousness of God that saves in the book of Joshua, in Rahab the Harlot saved on the basis of righteousness! Gods Righteousness is not only a standard but it also becomes a standing by faith in…

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Romans Chp 3 Vs 21 – 31; 4: 1-12 Justification by Faith – Nothing New - Dr J Stewart Gillespie  

3 Key Words: 

Righteousness (v21) – a “righteousness apart from the law” - we considered Gods righteous Standard in chapters 1 – 3 and in this transitional verse we noted a Righteousness from God that is able to bring salvation rather than damnation, justification rather than condemnation. We found an example of a righteousness of God that saves in the book of Joshua, in Rahab the Harlot saved on the basis of righteousness! Gods Righteousness is not only a standard but it also becomes a standing by faith in…

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'The Descent of Man' : Romans Chapter 1 vs 18 to 32 - Dr J Stewart Gillespie   

The whole of humanity is examined in this section, under the scrutiny of a righteous and Holy God: 

Rotten Sinner (1:18-32) 
Self-Righteous Sinner (2:1-16) 
Religious Sinner (2:17-3:20) 

Each group has their light, not the gospel as we know it, but light none the less for which God holds them accountable and responsible: 

Rotten Sinner (1:18-32) - has the light of creation 
Self-Righteous Sinner (2:1-16) - has the light of conscience 
Religious Sinner (2:17-3:20) - has the light of law or covenant 

Then the…

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Romans chapter 1 verses 8 to 17 - The Results of the Gospel - J Stewart Gillespie  

Vs 1- 7 – The Reality of the Gospel – Confidence of Paul 
Vs 8-17 – The Results of the Gospel – Converts at Rome 
Vs 17-32 – Requirement for the Gospel – Condition of Fallen Humanity 

Vs 1- 7 – The Reality of the Gospel – Confidence of Paul 

Don't need to understand everything 

Our faith doesn't lie in the fact that we have answers to all of the possible questions that could be asked but rather our faith is founded upon certainties, we at the moment see through a glass darkly. 

Vs 8-17 – The Results of the…

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Romans Chapter 2 Vs 1 to 6 'Many People One Path' - JS Gillespie 

3 Categories of Sinners: 

Rotten Sinners of chp 1 
Self-Righteous Sinners of 2:1-6 
Religious Sinners for chp 2 

Rotten Sinners of chapter 1 

The pagan idolaters 

Self-Righteous Sinners (2:1-6) 

They are able to discern sin but not to dispense with sin! 
Judge sin in others but not in self 
No repentance from their own sin 
Notice that the condemnation of these self-righteous sinners is NOT that they fail to live a perfect life - which cannot be expected of any man but rather they fail to repent from the sin…

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Romans chapter 1 verses 1 to 7 - Doubts and Deliverance  

If you are going to give your life for Christ and the Gospel, you need to have confidence / need to be convinced that it is real 
Paul gave his life for the gospel 
He needed total confidence in the message 
Sometimes our service for Christ can be hindered by a lack of confidence in Christ and in the message: 

Is it real? 
Is it reliable? 
What about all the other messages? 
Can so many people be wrong? 

When faced with doubts there are 3 things we can so: 

Deny them - they tend to come back 
Be Destroyed by them…

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Romans chapter 1 verses 2 to 4 - Proving the Gospel is Real   

'If its new its not true and if its true its not new' 

How authentic is this message? 

Did it come from man? 

Did it come from God? 

The authenticity of the Gospel. 

verse 1 - The Man 

verse 2 - The Message 

Hardly a more important question than this - is it real? 

Reasons the Gospel is Real: 

Personal Experience (v1) – Paul – Servant, Sent One and Separated 
The Promise (v2) - The Gospel lies (not very well) hidden in OT promises 
The Person (v3) - The Lord Jesus Christ is real 
The Power (v4) - The power of…

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