“Christians can’t fight battles of sin alone. I failed miserably when I tried to deal with sin on my own. I felt alone. I was fearful of sharing my struggles with others,” said Jim Allsop, New Life Church’s treasurer. Allsop said he appreciates New Life because of the community’s involvement in his life and assistance in his fight against sin. “It’s the body of Christ working together.” Jim Allsop has experienced this community since his arrival in 1991. “A friend introduced me to New Life. At the time, I wanted to find a church that was willing to take on the hard questions about the Bible.” Allsop said one of the difficult questions he came across involved limited atonement. Limited atonement is the belief that Christ’s death on the cross was sufficient only for those who are part of the church. “I always thought Christ had died for everyone. But as I studied the scripture, it became clear that God knew who he was going to save before time began.” Allsop said this belief changed his Christian faith. “This really shook me up. It made me rethink my view of God. I now recognize that I’m so desperate for his grace and mercy every day for the sin that remains in my heart. I’m constantly trying to kill the old [sinful] man and put on the new [Christian] man. It is a daily war.”
Pastor Brian Tallman preached behind the large pulpit, only his chest and head visible to the congregation. “Today, we are examining 1 John 3:4–10,” began Pastor Tallman. “In this text, the children of God and the children of the devil are made obvious by John.” Tallman observed that unlike in John’s time, it has become difficult in the church today to determine who is a Christian. “Today, in the church, there is no distinction in behavior from those inside and outside of the church. According to The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience , those proclaiming to be Christian are no different in their racism, divorce rates, sexual immorality, or physical abuse in the home.” Tallman suggested two reasons why the church has demised: the lack of church discipline and preachers who offer cheap grace. “Preachers today tell people that they can live any way they want. That Jesus makes no demands on how you should live,” said Tallman. Tallman concluded that Christians need to believe the right things about the Bible, love their brothers, and that their faith should manifest itself in how they live.”
Full Article: New Life Presbyterian Church