Sermons That Exalt Christ
The preaching of God’s Word is central to the life of the church. Tom's pulpit ministry is dedicated to providing clear, biblical teaching to equip believers, strengthen faith, and exalt Christ.
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The preaching of God's Word is central to worship and of the utmost importance for the sanctification of every believer in Christ.
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The Dark Guest - Part 3
The sermon explores Romans 7, emphasizing the Christian's universal inner conflict with sin, a lifelong battle many try to avoid through spiritual shortcuts or alternative experiences. Pastor Pennington states this struggle is normal for believers, describing it as a conflict between the redeemed soul, delighting in God's law, and the unredeemed flesh, which wages war against these desires. The desperate cry, "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24), marks a true believer recognizing their sin against God's holiness. This isn't despair but a longing for future, complete deliverance. "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25a) expresses confident hope in a coming new, glorified body, free from indwelling sin, at resurrection. This future hope doesn't eliminate the "continual war" of present reality (Romans 7:25b), where the mind serves God and the flesh serves sin. Romans 8 then offers victory and confidence, reminding believers that this tension is their normal existence until Christ's return or death.
The Dark Guest - Part 2
Tom Pennington's sermon "The Dark Guest (Part 2)" interprets Romans 7:14-25, revealing the Christian's persistent struggle with indwelling sin, termed a "professional squatter" or "dark guest." Using an analogy of a Colorado squatter law, Pennington explains that this "flesh"�our unredeemed part�continually wages war within believers until glorification. Paul�s laments (Romans 7:14-20) describe the paradox of wanting to do good but doing evil, and vice versa. This isn't the regenerated self sinning, but "sin which dwells in me," as nothing morally good resides in our flesh. This internal conflict stems from two opposing principles: the redeemed soul's joyful delight in God's law (Principle 1) and the flesh's war against it, making one a "prisoner of the law of sin" (Principle 2). Pennington asserts this struggle is a universal Christian experience and a test of genuine faith. A true believer delights in God's law, desires obedience, battles indwelling sin, and is acutely aware of this inner conflict. The very presence of this spiritual battle proves one is a Christian, providing comfort and encouragement. Ultimately, freedom from sin's bondage is found only through Jesus Christ, offering the sole hope for all.
The Dark Guest - Part 1
In a sermon on Romans 7:14-25, Tom Pennington addresses the believer's ongoing struggle with sin, emphasizing the Law's weakness not due to its inherent flaw, but due to human sinfulness. He argues this passage describes all believers�mature and immature�and how they respond to sin: hating it and desiring holiness, despite repeated failures. Pennington refutes the popular "conflict of two natures" view, which often misinterprets regeneration as an old self warring with a new self. Scripturally, at salvation, the "old self" dies with Christ, and believers become entirely new creations. The continued struggle is between this new, redeemed self and the "flesh," defined as unredeemed humanness residing primarily in the physical body and brain, with its ingrained sinful patterns. Paul's laments express this internal battle: doing what he hates and failing to do what he wills, acknowledging the Law's goodness but being bound by indwelling sin. This doesn't negate personal responsibility but differentiates the redeemed person from the lingering influence of sin. Ultimately, this internal conflict is a hopeful sign of true regeneration, demonstrating a love for God's Law and a hatred for sin, confirming the believer's freedom from condemnation in Christ.
Christology: The Atonement - Part 1
This text on Christology emphasizes the unique nature of the atonement in Christianity. Unlike man-made religions where individuals must atone for their own sins, Christianity asserts that God Himself, the offended party, made full and complete atonement for sinners through the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son. While God was not absolutely compelled to save anyone, once He determined to redeem a people, the death of Jesus became absolutely necessary, as there was no other way for a righteous, holy God to reconcile with sinners. The causes of this atonement are rooted in God's character: His justice, demanding every sin be punished; His profound love, which initiated the plan; and His gracious will, all enacted for His own glory. The biblical doctrine of atonement refutes false theories like ransom to Satan or the moral influence view, which deny its necessity. Instead, it defines atonement as Christ's vicarious (substitutionary) sacrifice that satisfied God's justice, paying sin's penalty, bringing forgiveness, imputing righteousness, and reconciling humanity to God.
The Argument of Romans 7
Romans 7:14-25 is a highly debated New Testament passage exploring the intense struggle with sin. Pastor Tom Pennington examines four interpretations of whether it describes an unbeliever or a believer. The first two views, suggesting the passage depicts all unbelievers or those merely under conviction, are refuted by the text's shift to the present tense and the individual's heartfelt desire to obey God's law, a characteristic of a regenerate heart rather than one hostile to God. The third view, attributing the struggle solely to immature believers, is challenged because the present tense contradicts Paul describing his past immaturity, and mature believers often exhibit the deepest hatred and sorrow over their sin. Pennington asserts the fourth view is most compelling: Romans 7:14-25 describes Paul�s ongoing experience as a mature Christian, representing the struggle of all genuine believers until glorification. This is supported by the consistent use of present tense verbs, strong historical consensus (including later Augustine and the Reformers), and expressions unique to believers such as "I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man.
Caught in the Act - Part 3
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon on Romans 7:7-13, "Caught in the Act (Part 3)," defends God's moral law against two common objections. He begins by using a jury duty anecdote to illustrate how people often blame the law rather than themselves for wrongdoing. Pennington explains that Paul addresses the question, "Is the Law sin?" (Romans 7:7). Paul emphatically states, "May it never be!" The law is holy, righteous, and good. Its purpose is not to cause sin, but to identify it and reveal humanity's inherent sinfulness. It awakens dormant sin, making individuals aware of their covetousness and spiritual self-deception, ultimately leading to the "death" of self-righteous confidence. The second objection, "Did that which is good become a cause of death for me?" (Romans 7:13), is also refuted. The law doesn't cause death; rather, it exposes the true, deadly character of inherent sinfulness. Like a mirror or a black light, God's law reveals the profound dirt in the soul, showing how sin, when consciously known, escalates into defiant rebellion against God. This makes sin "utterly sinful.
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