Salvation Is Closer
The sermon emphasizes the urgency of spiritual awakening and the hope of salvation as we move toward the future fulfillment of God's promises.
Robert William Dale emphasizes the importance of awakening from spiritual slumber, reminding believers that our salvation is drawing closer as time progresses. Despite admiring the dedication and courage of early Christians, it is evident that many fell short of living a saintly life, just as many struggle with human weaknesses and sin today. The glory of God within the Church has always been marred by human imperfections, but the hope lies in the future when salvation will be fully realized.
Text
"It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Rom. 13:11).
The golden age of the Church lies, not in the past, but in the future. We may be humiliated by the passionate devotion to Christ which glowed in the hearts of the apostles and of many of their immediate converts; we may wonder at the courage and fortitude which during the early Christian generations confronted fearlessly all that was mightiest and most venerable in the ancient civilisation, and endured imprisonment, torture, and death in the power of an exulting hope and a triumphant faith; but it is apparent, both from the apostolic epistles and from later Christian writings, that even in those heroic times there were vast numbers of Christian men and women who fell far short of the saintly life. The glory of God which dwells in the Church of every age was clouded then, as it is clouded now, by human infirmity and sin.
Nor do we look back with regret upon the brief years during which our Lord Himself was visibly present in the world: it was expedient for us that He should go away. The great hour is yet to come: we move forwards to it day by day, year by year. 'Now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed.'
Sermon Outline
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I
- Awakening from Spiritual Sleep
- The Importance of Recognizing Our Salvation
- The Call to Action
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II
- The Golden Age of the Church
- Future Hope vs. Past Glory
- Lessons from Early Christians
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III
- Human Infirmity and Sin
- The Clouding of God's Glory
- The Need for Perseverance
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IV
- The Role of Christ's Absence
- Expectation of His Return
- Living in Anticipation
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V
- The Nature of Salvation
- Growing in Faith
- Embracing the Journey
Key Quotes
“It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” — Robert William Dale
“The glory of God which dwells in the Church of every age was clouded then, as it is clouded now, by human infirmity and sin.” — Robert William Dale
“The great hour is yet to come: we move forwards to it day by day, year by year.” — Robert William Dale
Application Points
- Reflect on your spiritual state and seek to awaken your faith.
- Embrace the hope of salvation and live in anticipation of Christ's return.
- Learn from the courage of early Christians to face modern challenges with faith.