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First Baptist stands unapologetically for truth. If you are serious about understanding the deep, rewarding truths of the Bible, come and learn with us
We are not a cafeteria-style church. Our ministries are not aimed at serving you, but serving Christ. He is the reason and goal of our service and worship, not you.
Jesus lived a life of self-denial. He gave up his human life. He came not to be served, but to serve. To be Christ-like, people need to grow beyond self-interest cloaked as Christianity. Church is a place where we learn to serve Him rather than ourselves.
Jesus’ ministry did not consist in fostering abundant human life. He was not a humanist. If you thought that churches served Christ by serving needy and hurting people, perhaps you have been misled. Needy and hurting people are not Christ. To identify them with Him is actually subtle idolatry. It is humanism. You shouldn’t think a church serves Christ by serving your needs and greeds.
It is true that some churches serve the poor and needy because Jesus commanded it. But that only makes them re-run Jews, not faithful Christians. Jesus annulled Judaism, the futile attempt to follow laws and rules.
Don’t be fooled. Jesus’ purpose is not abundant physical life, but rather spiritual, eternal life. Sure, He healed the sick. But not all of them. Nor did He make everyone rich and happy. His miracles were to foster spiritual life in him. We serve Christ by walking faithfully in the Spirit doing His will rather than our own. Christ’s Spirit must live within us and move us. Only then do we serve Christ. We serve Him. And He is not a humanist. Human life, even your human life, is not His main concern. Your eternal life in the Spirit is what He is concerned with. Human self-fulfillment is what the world seeks. In church it is called Balaamism. A good church is a place where you learn to reject self-fulfillment so that Christ can live in and through you. Learn to do His will, not yours. Live in the Spirit.
Neither chould you strive to imitate Christ. That’s what Satan does, he tries to be like God. He imitates Christ. When you try to imitate Christ you are really imitating Satan. Christ is not an imitation. He must actually live within you and through you. You must learn to listen to Him and follow. This is how we serve and worship Him, in Spirit and truth.
As you can see, at First Baptist truth matters. Truth is not evaluated by emotion or feeling, but with the mind. Truth is not what you like, but what is right. A good church tells you the truth. Did Jesus work to satisfy and prolong his human life, or did He tell the truth and die? Did He invite His followers to take up their cross, too? The best church is not the biggest, or the one that has the most bells and whistles. If you want fun, go to a ballgame. If you want self-fulfillment, feed your ego in a church that serves you. But if you want the truth, come to First Baptist. The olive oil of the Spirit will flow in your life only if you are willing to be crushed.
Jesus did not warn about drunkards, thieves, and murderers. These will not fool you. He warned about wolves dressed as Christians. Don’t be fooled. True Christianity does not seek human self-fulfillment, but self-denial. If you want to practice Balaamism, go and be a hypocrite somewhere else. But if you want a place where you will learn deep Bible truths that will bring you great rewards in heaven, come and learn together with us. Lose your life here, and you will find it.
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