The church is made up of a diverse group of people who have been accepted by God in Christ. Therefore, we should accept one another within the church of God. The relationships that we have built within the church have a greater impact on us and the watching world than we imagine. A united people from diverse backgrounds with strong and deep relationships is a rare breed in our world. We are united in the Gospel of Christ with our mission to proclaim this Gospel to the nations. That was the heartbeat of Paul’s life, and therefore we can learn from Paul’s example in our own lives. While we may not play the same role as Paul, our lives can be as intentional about proclaiming Christ as Paul’s life. In the end, we are all in this together as partners for the Gospel of Christ. Contrary to what many think, we do not have to share the Gospel of Christ by ourselves. We do it together as partners in Christ. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

Christians have many different opinions on different ways of being obedient to God. This is especially true on things that God himself has not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. Paul mentioned a list of issues that the Jews and Gentiles would disagree about. However, he insists that we all belong to the Lord and each of us will have to give an account to God, not to each other. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on each other on these topics where we have freedom to practise in different ways. The kingdom of God is not about the “physical” things on earth, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, as God’s people, let us focus on doing what leads to peace and to mutual encouragement of each other. We want to build and cultivate a culture of encouragement, rather than judgement of each other. There’s enough of judgment in our world, let us not add to that. Instead, let us be a culture of grace, modelled after our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us glorify God with one mind and one voice, united in Christ. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

We receive the grace of God through no work nor merit of our own. We are justified purely on the basis of Christ’s righteousness counted as ours, received by faith alone. We do not need elaborate rituals, activities or work for us to gain favour from God. God doesn’t help us only when we help ourselves. Instead, God gives his grace to us freely in Christ.   An encounter with the transcendent gracious God does not leave us the same. This God has saved us in Christ out of his sheer grace. This grace also works in and through us to grow in our holiness and Christlikeness.   Finally, this is a grace that is to come in the future when we will see Jesus. Christ will come back and make all things new, and give us a new perfected, sinless bodies to dwell with God forever. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

All glory is to be to God alone. The culmination of the first four “solas” of the Reformation is that glory belongs to God and God alone. We are saved by faith alone in Christ alone through God’s sheer grace alone, promised to us in the Scriptures alone. All of that is only possible because of God’s initiative and work, both through the work of Christ and the work of the Spirit in us. That is Paul’s conclusion at the end of Romans 11. He has been declaring the wonders of the Gospel message of Christ all the way from Romans 1:18 onwards. He concludes the whole story of redemption in chapter 11, and it is only appropriate that he ends all of that with a doxology (praise) to God. In many senses, that is exactly what good theology is supposed to do – to raise our affections for God and increase our praise to him. Paul does exactly that at the end of Romans 11. He praises the wisdom, knowledge, and plan of God. No one has ever or can tell God how to rule the universe – he is infinitely wise. God also does not need anything from any of us. He has all that he needs in himself and is completely self-sufficient. Because of this, we can know that whatever receive from God is out of his sheer grace. Ultimately, God does all things for his own glory and for our good. It is only through living for God’s glory that we find true satisfaction and fulfilment in our lives. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

We continue our short sermon series on the Five Solas. This week, we focus on the fact that we are saved in Christ alone through faith alone. In Ephesians 2, Paul begins by describing our condition and lives before Christ. He does not paint a pretty picture of who we are – spiritually dead and deserving of God’s wrath. It is a stark reminder of what we are saved from – our sins. Because of God’s great love, mercy, and kindness to us, he accomplished salvation for us in Christ. All these blessings that God gives is only possible in Christ. He made us alive in Christ, raised us up with him and seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms. We are no longer enslaved, because we are united to the one who freed us. All that belongs to Christ now belongs to us – in Christ alone. We receive all these blessings through faith alone in Christ alone. These blessings are not given to us via all the good works that we have done. The means by which God gives us his grace in Christ is through our faith alone. This means that we cannot boast about our works that earned us our salvation. However, this faith alone in Christ is never alone – we are God’s handiwork from start to finish. We are transformed and renewed in Christ, and therefore our lives should have clear indication of that. Once we know and embrace Christ through our faith, it changes us, changes our hearts and changes we who are. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

500 years ago, it was thought that the Scriptures were too complicated for lay people. All we need to receive grace from God is to attend Mass at the local church. It did not even matter that we would not have been able to understand what was said during Mass, as long as we are a part of it, then we would receive God’s grace. Therefore, through this sort of thinking, the teaching of the church and the Scriptures themselves are put on equal grounds. However, it is not the case today because of the Reformation. Scriptures are the very words of God, and what is remarkable is that we are able to understand Scriptures. As the people of God, we are the creature of the Word. We have been brought to life by God’s word. Because of that, God’s word must be central in all that we do as God’s people, as Scripture alone is our final inerrant authority in all areas of our Christian life and faith. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

In Romans 13, Paul continues his call for Christians to live a life of love towards others. He focuses on how Christians are to relate to the governing authorities. We are to submit to them as they are agents of God’s justice in our world. Through governing authorities, God restrains sin in our society and therefore creates a society in which there is order and justice. That is why Christians should submit to governing authorities, because in doing so, we are actually loving our neighbours by fostering a peaceful and orderly culture. However, we only submit so far as what they are promoting is right in the eyes of God. We love others by submitting to the governing authorities, but we cannot submit when it violates God’s commands. Love is the fulfilment of all of God’s laws. At the heart of all of God’s commands, particularly the 10 commands, is love for others. Love should be central in all our relationships and should characterise our lives as Christians. The end of this age is coming with each passing day. Therefore, let us live in the light, as God’s people with a life of love. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang

Romans 12 is a shift in Paul’s letter. After 11 chapters of declaring God’s redemption of his people, Paul shifts the focus to what our response should be towards God’s amazing mercy. In light of all that God has done for us, the only true and proper worship of God involves us offering our bodies as a living sacrifice for God. It is the totality of our lives that we give in our worship to God. Our worship begins with the renewal of our minds. We do not conform to the world, rather we conform to the mind of God. We begin to see the world as God sees the world. Our worship also involves us using our gifts to serve others within the body of Christ. We must think of ourselves as members of the same body. We all play different, but important roles within the body of Christ. Therefore, we use whatever gifts God has given us to serve one another. That is how we love one another in our worship of God. Our worship changes the way we relate to others. Love becomes the primary way we relate, both within the body of Christ and to those outside the church. We pray, serve, share, welcome, honour one another – all out of love for them. Even for those who are not Christians, we love them by not retaliating, living in peace, and leaving vengeance up to God. Like Christ, we overcome evil with good. Preacher: Chin Wee Ang