ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> March 29<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2026  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/scripture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scripture</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>1 John 5:6–8; Romans 8:15–17; Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:15–16; John 14:5–6; Hebrews 6:18; Matthew 17:1–8; Luke 2:13–14; 12:57</p> <p><sup>6</sup>.... It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. <sup>7</sup>For there are three that bear witness: <sup>8</sup>the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 1 John 5:6–8</p> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>The Spirit of Truth</h4> <ul> <li>What does it mean that the Spirit of God bears witness?</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. The Spirit of God is the truth, and bears witness to nothing but the truth</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Psalm 31:5, Isaiah 65:15–16, John 14:5–6</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. The Johannine Comma (<em>Comma Johanneum</em>)</strong></h4> <ul> <li>1 John 5:7–8 (NKJV) "<sup>7</sup>For there are three that bear witness [in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. <sup>8</sup>And there are three that bear witness on earth]: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.”</li> <li>Textual variants, textual criticism, King James Onlyism</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. Textual Support for the Johannine Comma</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Matthew 17:1-8</li> </ul> <h4><strong>V. Is the Johannine Comma authentic?</strong></h4> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> March 22<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2026  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/christ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christ</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>1 John 5:6; Matthew 16:16; 2 Peter 3:17–18; John 1:1–4, 14–15; 1 Timothy 1:15; Galatians 4:4–5; John 3:16; 1 John 4:14; John 19:32–37; Mark 1:9–11; 10:45; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 15:47; John 3:13; Leviticus 17:10–11, 14; Hebrews 9:17–28; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 1:7–10</p> <p>This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 1 John 5:6</p> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>The One who came…</h4> <ul> <li>"Familiarity breeds contempt"</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. Water and blood?</strong></h4> <h4><strong>III. What is the significance of Jesus coming by water <em>and</em> blood?</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Gnosticism, Cerinthus, Docetists</li> <li>Athanasius, <em>On the Incarnation</em></li> <li>"cross and circulatory speech"</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. Not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood</strong></h4> <ul> <li>The importance of blood</li> <li>Without blood, you cannot live</li> </ul> <h4><strong>V. Does <em>God</em> have blood?</strong></h4> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> March 15<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2026  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/union-with-christ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Union with Christ</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>1 John 5:5; John 17:3; 1 Timothy 5:25; John 14:28; Matthew 28:17; John 9:35–39; Matthew 16:13–17; John 5:17–24; 19:7; Hebrews 13:8–9; Titus 2:13; 1 John 1:3; 5:20</p> <p><sup>5</sup>Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5</p> <ul> <li>"Faith” is not just a verb—it is also a noun.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>What does it mean to believe that Jesus is the Son of God?</h4> <ul> <li>The Apostle John emphasizes believing, receiving, knowing, confessing, seeing, abiding over 100 times in this letter.</li> <li>John 17:3</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. How is Jesus the Son of God?</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Arianism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism</li> <li>Matthew 28:17, John 9:35-39</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. What saith the Scripture?</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Matthew 16:13–17; John 5:17–24, 19:7</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. One of the primary subjects of John’s entire letter...</strong></h4> <ul> <li><strong><em>Icthus:</em></strong> "Ἰησοῦς Χρῑστός Θεοῦ Uἱός Σωτήρ", "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior"</li> </ul> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> March 8<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2026  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/doctrines-of-grace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doctrines of Grace</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>1 John 5:4–5; Jude 3; Hebrews 5:12; Romans 12:1; Psalm 9:10; Acts 20:27; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 5:10; Jude 13; Genesis 49:4; Ephesians 4:14; Matthew 11:7; 2 Peter 2:1; Zechariah 4:6; John 18:33–37; Romans 8:37–39; 2 Corinthians 2:14–17; Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12; Revelation 19:11–15; 1:15; Colossians 1:21–23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 3:14–21</p> <p><sup>4</sup>For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith. <sup>5</sup>Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4–5</p> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>What is this “faith” that overcomes the world?</h4> <ul> <li>Personal faith? Or <em>the</em> faith? Body of divinity?</li> <li>Thomas Watson: "The second proposition is, that the way for Christians to be settled—is to be well grounded. "If you continue grounded and settled" (Colossians 1:23). The Greek word for grounded is a metaphor which alludes to a building that has the foundation well laid. So Christians should be grounded in the essential points of true religion, and have their foundation well laid."</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. Overcoming by believing that Jesus is the Son of God.</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Verb tenses are important in the Bible, to maintain proper balance and distinction of the law and the gospel, to avoid confusing primary doctrines, such as distinguishing justification (one time act) and sanctification (progressive, ongoing).</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. How do we overcome the world?</strong></h4> <h4><strong>IV. Not by might…not by sight…</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Zechariah 4:6, John 18:33-37, 2 Corinthians 2:14-17, 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12, Revelation 19:11–15</li> </ul> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> March 1<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2026  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/typology" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Typology</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>1 John 5:1–5; John 3:16; 1:9, 12–13; 1 John 4:4–6; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9; 2:13; Exodus 12:50–51; Jude 5; Hebrews 3:14–19; Numbers 21:5–9; 1 Corinthians 10:9; John 3:14–15; Numbers 14:13–14; Isaiah 63:10–14; Romans 8:37–39</p> <p><sup>4</sup>For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith. <sup>5</sup>Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4–5</p> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>Why the word “everything” (<em>pan</em>, v. 4) instead of “everyone” (<em>pas</em>, v. 1)?</h4> <h4><strong>II. This is partly why we seek to baptize only true believers who "have been born of God..."</strong></h4> <ul> <li><strong><em>Westminster Larger Catechism </em>(MESV), Q. 165. What is baptism?  A.</strong> Baptism is a sacrament of the new testament, in which Christ has ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to be a sign and seal of ingrafting into himself, <strong>of remission of sins by his blood, and regeneration by his Spirit; of adoption, and resurrection to everlasting life; and by which the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church, and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord’s.</strong></li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. What is this “world” that we believing conquerors overcome?</strong></h4> <ul> <li>First define key terms, otherwise you cannot make proper sense of the passage.</li> <li>Context is king.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. Born of God…the Father</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Need to account more carefully for what both the Old and New Testaments reveal about Christ.</li> <li><em>The Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics</em>, Article III. WE AFFIRM that the Person and work of Jesus Christ are the central focus of the entire Bible. WE DENY that any method of interpretation which rejects or obscures the Christ-centeredness of Scripture is correct.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> February 22<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2026  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/law-gospel-distinction" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law & Gospel Distinction</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>1 John 5:3; 4:10, 19; Ephesians 2:1–16; James 1:17; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 7:11–8:2; James 4:1–7; Romans 1:16–17; Matthew 11:25–30; Galatians 5:6; 1 Peter 5:6–7</p> <p><sup>3</sup>For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3</p> <ul> <li>Intricate, harmonious connection between love, faith, and obedience—on love visibly manifested and applied</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>His commandments are not burdensome.</h4> <ul> <li>Why are God’s commandments not burdensome for believers? Because of God’s love.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come…”</strong></h4> <ul> <li>If the law of God is not burdensome, then why do we still struggle with burdens?</li> <li>Romans 7:12-8:2</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. The source of quarrels and conflicts among you.</strong></h4> <ul> <li>James 4:1-7</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. My burden is light.</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Matthew 11:25-30</li> <li>1 Peter 5:6-7</li> </ul> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> February 15, 2026  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Authority</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>2 Kings 17:13–14; Nehemiah 8:1–8; Psalm 119:1; Matthew 23:1–3; Romans 3:2; Colossians 1:9–10; Psalm 19:7–8</span></p> <p><sup>13</sup>Yet Yahweh warned Israel and Judah by the hand of all His prophets <em>and</em> every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by the hand of My slaves the prophets.” <sup>14</sup>However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in Yahweh their God. 2 Kings 17:13–14</p> <ul> <li>The OT is full of the same synecdoches we saw in the NT that point to either a larger part of, or the whole of, the OT—the Law, the Prophets, the Law and the Prophets, etc.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>To Be, or Not to Be, God-Breathed? That Is the Church’s Question</h4> <h4><strong>II. </strong>The Jews, the Pharisees, and Josephus</h4> <h4><strong>III. </strong>The Roman Catholic Church-State</h4> <ul> <li>Pope Boniface VIII, <em>Unam Sanctam</em>: “…we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is <em>absolutely necessary</em> <em>for salvation</em> that <em>every</em> human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.”<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a></li> <li>The early church was highly varied and diverse, not monolithic, and in many ways was unlike any of the major denominations we see today.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>The Roman Catholic Canon</h4> <ul> <li>The first time that the Roman Catholic Church defined her canon of the Bible dogmatically—was during the Council of Trent (1546): "But if any one receive not, as sacred and canonical, these same books entire with all their parts, as they have been used to be read in the Catholic Church, and as they are contained in the old Latin vulgate edition; and knowingly and deliberately despise the traditions aforesaid; let him be anathema [eternally condemned].”</li> </ul> <h4><strong>V.  </strong>Eastern Orthodoxy: The <em>Other</em> “One True Church” & Her Bible(s)</h4> <ul> <li>Russian Orthodox Catechism of Philaret (1782-1867) of Moscow (1830), "Examined and Approved by the Most Holy Governing Synod [of the Russian Orthodox Church], and Published for the Use of Schools, and of all Orthodox Christians, by Order of His Imperial Majesty," affirms the Protestant canon instead, contradicting the earlier 1672 Synod of Jerusalem.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>VI. </strong>The Russian Orthodox Canon of Scripture</h4> <h4><strong>VII. </strong>The 1672 Council of Jerusalem</h4> <ul> <li>“The 1672 Synod of Jerusalem…rejected <em>any</em> further attempts at reformulation [and reformation] of Orthodox teachings and strengthened Orthodox beliefs against both the Protestant Reformation and Catholicism. The Synod produced...the Confession of Dositheus (Patriarch of Jerusalem), in which point by point it refuted Cyril [Lucaris’] eighteen points. In addition, it added four catechetical style questions that defended the restriction of reading and study of Scripture to the priests, def

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> February 8, 2026  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Authority</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Romans 3:1–4, 9–20; John 9:34; Luke 6:39; Mark 7:13; 1 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 7:12, 29; John 8:12–19; Romans 8:16, 23–27, 34; John 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:2–13; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Deuteronomy 18:9–14; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:2; 5:6–9; 1 Corinthians 4:6–12; Romans 11:16–24; Titus 1:9</span></p> <p><span lang="en-US">May it never be! Rather, let God be true and every man a liar, as it is written, “</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps;">That</span> <span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps;">You may be justified in</span> <span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Your words</span><span lang="en-US">, </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps;">And overcome when</span> <span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps;">You</span> <span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps;">are judged</span><span lang="en-US">.” Romans 3:4</span></p> <p><span lang="en" style="text-decoration: none;"><sup>17</sup></span><span lang="en-US">“Even in your law it has been written that the witness of two men is true. </span><span lang="en" style="text-decoration: none;"><sup>18</sup></span><span lang="en-US">“I am He who bears witness about Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness about Me.” John 8:17–18</span></p> <ul> <li>There is no such thing as an infallible human authority, for all men and women are corrupted, fallen sinners, and liars.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>What does <em>infallible</em> mean?</h4> <ul> <li>Not capable of erring (making errors)—at all</li> <li><em>God-Breathed Scripture</em>, Free Grace Broadcaster 239 (Chapel Library, 2017), <a href="https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/gbscfg/godbreathed-scripture">https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/gbscfg/godbreathed-scripture</a>.</li> <li>Some traditions dogmatically affirm that it is possible for some people to be infallible (the pope), or that some people lived on earth without ever committing any personal sin, even while still suffering the other effects of the fall (Eastern Orthodoxy).</li> <li>Romans 3:9-20</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>Of Fallible Men & Infallible Authorities</h4> <ul> <li>John 8:12-19</li> <li>We as believers and as the church of God already have, not one, not two, not three, but four infallible Authorities—God and His Word.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. B</strong>elief in infallible authorities is neither contrary to Scripture—it is Scriptural—nor is it anti-Protestant…</h4> <ul> <li>As long as <em>infallible authorities</em> are restricted to God and His Word alone.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>Parallel Problems: Fallible Mediators & Authorities</h4> <ul> <li>Those who impose so-called “infallible” churches, traditions, popes, councils, etc., undermine and replace the authority and power of God

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> February 1<span class="sermon-listing-detail">, 2025  </span><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Preacher:</strong> <a class="speaker" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-10" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/first-john">First John</a></span> <span class="sermon-topic"> <strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/law-gospel-distinction">Law & Gospel Distinction</a>  </span></span><strong>Scripture: </strong>Psalm 11:7; 1 John 1:9–2:2; Deuteronomy 32:3–4; 1 John 3:4; Romans 7:13; 1 Corinthians 5:6–8; Matthew 5:29–30; Romans 8:6–8; 1 John 3:8–10; Ecclesiastes 7:20, 29; Mark 10:18; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10–12; Galatians 2:21; John 1:29; Galatians 4:4–5; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22–24; Romans 5:19; 4:3–8; 2 Corinthians 5:20–21; Ephesians 4:20–24; Philippians 3:20–21</p> <p><span lang="en-US">For Yahweh is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face. Psalm 11:7</span></p> <ul> <li>Two of the most important subjects in the entire Bible: sin and righteousness</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>“…so that you may not sin.”</h4> <ul> <li>According to God, we are all sinners, born guilty under the Law of God.</li> <li>What is your life’s purpose? To not sin?</li> <li>Who are you a child of?</li> <li><em>The Belgic Confession</em>, Article 22: The Righteousness of Faith</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. The Gospel According to Righteousnesses</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Are <em>you</em> righteous?</li> <li>The Bible describes different kinds of righteousnesses with respect to God and man, which summarize the entire story of the Bible, the whole counsel of God, and reveals the true gospel to us:</li> </ul> <ol> <li>The Righteousness of God</li> <li>Original Righteousness</li> <li>Self-Righteousness</li> <li>The Righteousness of Jesus Christ</li> <li>The Imputed Righteousness of Believers</li> <li>The Renewed Righteousness of Believers</li> <li>The Culminated Righteousness of Believers</li> </ol> <p><strong><em>An Orthodox Catechism</em>, Question 60: How are <em>you</em> right with God? </strong>Only by true faith in Jesus Christ.(a) Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God's commandments and of never having kept any of them,(b) and even though I am still inclined toward all evil [in my flesh],(c) nevertheless, without my deserving it at all,(d) out of sheer grace,(e) God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ,(f) as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me.(g) <strong>All I need to do is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart</strong>.(h)  (a) Rom. 3:21-28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil 3:8-11  (b) Rom. 3:9-10  (c) Rom. 7:23  (d) Tit. 3:4-5  (e) Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8  (f) Rom. 4:3-5 (Gen. 15:6); 2 Cor. 5:17-19; 1 John 2:1-2  (g) Rom. 4:24-25; 2 Cor. 5:21  (h) John 3:18; Acts 16:30-31</p> <p><strong>Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave<br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">ThornCrow

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> January 25, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Authority</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Matthew 23:1–4; Luke 4:16–21; Exodus 18:13–26; Deuteronomy 1:11–18; Ezra 10:1–6, 10–12; Nehemiah 13:23–30; Matthew 7:29; John 8:14–15, 19; 1 John 2:23; John 9:39–41; Mark 7:13</span></p> <p><sup>2</sup>“The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; <sup>3</sup>therefore all that they tell you, do and keep, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say <em>things</em> and do not do <em>them</em>." Matthew 23:2–3</p> <ul> <li>Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees, who do not practice what they preach, insofar as what they preach/teach actually agrees with Moses and the prophets, the sacred Scriptures, the written Word of God.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>The <em>kathedra</em> of Moses</h4> <ul> <li>Moses’ seat is not some extrabiblical, “infallible” tradition or authority that is outside of or independent of what is written by God.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>What saith the Scriptures?</h4> <ul> <li>Exodus 18:13–26, Deuteronomy 1:11–18, Ezra 10:1–6, 10–12, Nehemiah 13:23–30</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>God <em>always</em> requires His leaders to be called and qualified, without hypocrisy.</h4> <ul> <li>Both <em>then</em>, in Israel (kings, scribes, priests, prophets, judges, etc.), and <em>now</em>, in the church (pastors, elders, teachers, etc.)</li> <li>Pharisees and Sadducees emerged, and seated themselves in the authoritative teaching chair of Moses (Matt. 23:2-3)—but, were they actually called and qualified by God to do so?</li> <li>The scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees were denounced by Christ as hypocritical, unbiblical usurpers and abusers of authority.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>We meet on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></h4> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave <br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations marked LSB are from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a> and <a href="http://316publishing.com/">316publishing.com</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> January 18, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/church-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Church History</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Malachi 3:13–4:6; Acts 3:24; John 10:22–23; Luke 1:11–17; Matthew 11:7–15; John 10:27–29</span></p> <p><sup>4</sup>“Remember the law of Moses My servant, <em>even the</em> statutes and judgments which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. <sup>5</sup>“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh. <sup>6</sup>“And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to <em>their</em> children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land, devoting it to destruction.” Malachi 4:4–6</p> <ul> <li>These words mark the end of the Old Testament, the last of the Old Testament prophets, and the beginning of the 400 years of silence.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>These are “The 400 Years of Prophetic Silence,” the Intertestamental Period</h4> <ul> <li>Although there was a glaring prophetic silence in Israel, there was also great political and spiritual change, and turbulence. No new Scripture was given at this time, though the entire Old Testament was eventually translated into what became the next universal language of the time—Greek.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>No prophet had come to Israel during that time, no God-breathed Scriptures had been written.</h4> <ul> <li>“So there was great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them.” (1 Maccabees 9:27)</li> <li>John the Baptist</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>Now we have an historical, prophetic, biblical context to the apocryphal writings.</h4> <ul> <li> <p>The issues surrounding the apocrypha do focus on what they say and teach, but especially on how they are regarded and used by religious traditions and churches.</p> </li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>What are the apocryphal books? Do they evidence God’s breath?</h4> <ul> <li>None of the apocrypha claim to be inspired by God; on the contrary, some explicitly claim to be mere human writings, in part because they acknowledge that prophecy had ceased during that time.</li> <li>All of the apocryphal books were written during the 400 years of prophetic silence.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>V.  </strong>The apocrypha contain various errors and contradictions</h4> <table> <thead> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Type</strong></p> </td> <td> <p><strong>Count</strong></p> </td> <td> <p><strong>Examples</strong></p> </td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Chronological</strong></p> </td> <td> <p>6</p> </td> <td> <p>Tobit 14:15, Judith 1:1, Baruch 1:2, 1&2 Macc death of Antiochus</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Geographical</strong></p> </td> <td> <p>2</p> </td> <td> <p>Tobit 1:4–5 (Upper Galilee), Judith 1:1 (Nineveh)</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Historical Figures</strong></p> </td> <td> <p>5</p> </td> <td&g

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> January 11, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/scripture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scripture</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Luke 11:45–52; Matthew 23:29–36; Zechariah 1:1; 2 Chronicles 24:20–22; Luke 7:28; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 25:46; Ephesians 2:1–19</span></p> <p><sup>49</sup>“For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles, and <em>some</em> of them they will kill and <em>some</em> they will persecute, <sup>50</sup>so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, <sup>51</sup>from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house <em>of God</em>; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.’" Luke 11:49–51</p> <ul> <li>Sometimes Jesus was confrontational</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>Which Zechariah?</h4> <ul> <li>Zechariah 1:1, 2 Chronicles 24:20–22, <em>Protoevangelium of James</em></li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>Jesus does not include any martyrdoms from the Intertestamental Period</h4> <ul> <li>Nor John the Baptist</li> <li>“So there was great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them.” (1 Macc. 9:27, after Malachi)</li> <li>Jewish Talmud (Sotah 9:48b): “As the Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 13:3): From the time when Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi died, the Divine Spirit departed from the Jewish people, as these three were considered to be the last prophets.”</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. D</strong>iffering levels of authority within the canonical books of Scripture</h4> <ul> <li>Law of Moses is the foundation for everything that follows</li> <li>All Scripture is authoritative, but the New Testament is the final written Word of God, making it more authoritative, the final, God-breathed, written Word that divinely expands on, fulfills, continues and abrogates, and interprets the Old Testament.</li> <li>Augustine: “The new is in the old concealed (hidden); the old is in the new revealed.”</li> <li>Beware: Inverted hermeneutic of Annihilationism, Conditional Immortality (Kirk Cameron)</li> <li> <p><strong>Louis Gaussen</strong>: “The whole tenor of Scripture places the writers of the New Testament in the same rank with the prophets of the Old; and even when it establishes any difference between them, it is always in putting the last in date above the first, in so far as one of God's sayings is superior to the saying that preceded it (not…in divinity, not in dignity, but in authority).”<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a></p> </li> </ul> <p><strong>We meet on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave <br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailt

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> January 4, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/scripture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scripture</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Acts 3:17–26; Psalm 119:41–48; Luke 24:25–27; 2 Samuel 7:12–17; Hebrews 11:35–38; Romans 3:1–2; Jude 3; Romans 16:25–27</span></p> <p>“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled." Acts 3:18</p> <ul> <li>The issues of the canon of Scripture and biblical authority are foundational differences between Protestantism and everything else.</li> <li>Basil Manly, Jr., <em>The Bible Doctrine of Inspiration</em>, ed. Timothy George and Denise George (Broadman and Holman, 1995).</li> <li>François Samuel Robert Louis Gaussen, <em>God-Breathed: The Divine Inspiration of the Bible</em>, ed. John W. Robbins, trans. David Scott, Trinity Paper 57 (The Trinity Foundation, 2001), <a href="https://www.trinitylectures.org/god-breathed-the-divine-inspiration-of-the-bible-p-88.html">https://www.trinitylectures.org/god-breathed-the-divine-inspiration-of-the-bible-p-88.html</a>.</li> <li>John D. Meade and Peter J. Gurry, <em>Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible</em> (Crossway, 2022).</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>What is a biblical prophet? The office of a prophet?</h4> <ul> <li>“All the prophets,” including the New Testament prophets, are divine representatives, who speak for, and, beginning with Moses—write for—God, with supernatural aid, direction, and authority.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>“The prophets” and “all the prophets” of Scripture alone</h4> <ul> <li>Every genuine prophet spoke, and eventually wrote, directly or indirectly, of the coming Messiah and His kingdom, with divine authority.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>Does the New Testament also quote apocryphal books?</h4> <ul> <li>There is a difference between quoting something directly and alluding to something, and loosely resembling something as opposed to consciously alluding to it.</li> <li>Romans 3:2</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>We normally understand <em>Scripture</em> and <em>canon</em> to refer to the same books.</h4> <ul> <li>Some early church writers like Jerome, Athansius, Cyril, did not list apocrypha as part of the Old/New Testament canons, although they sometimes quoted them as (lower-tier) "Scripture."</li> <li>We have the same Old Testament that was entrusted to the Jews, which Jesus and His Apostles affirmed.</li> <li>The entire Old Testament speaks to, foretells, anticipates, looks forward to the coming Messiah who takes away all our sin.</li> </ul> <p><strong>We meet on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave <br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:ThornC

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> December 28, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/scripture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scripture</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Romans 3:1–2; Acts 7:37–39; Luke 24:25–27, 44–49; John 10:27–28; 1 Corinthians 14:21; John 1:45; Matthew 22:40; Romans 3:21–22; Acts 13:15; 10:43</span></p> <p><sup>1</sup>Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? <sup>2</sup>Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. Romans 3:1–2</p> <ul> <li>Opponents of Protestantism falsely claim that there is no evidence in the early church for the Protestant Old Testament canon.<br /> <ul> <li>This betrays history, church history, and the competing criteria that were used—especially in the early church—to recognize the books of the Old Testament.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>There were two primary competing criteria in the early church used to identify the Old Testament:</h4> <ul> <li> <p>1. Which books were part of the Hebrew canon that the <em>Jews</em> used, and which Christ and His Apostles affirmed? Rom. 3:1-2, Acts 7:37-39, etc.</p> </li> <li> <p>2. Which books did the (early) churches read in church and deemed edifying?<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a><strong> </strong>This is less precise.</p> </li> <li>The church does not define God’s Word—God’s Word defines the church.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>The Protestant Canon of the Old Testament</h4> <ul> <li>The overwhelming testimony of the Jews was that they held to an exclusive, 22/24 book canon of the Old Testament, matching the Protestant canon—apart from any "infallible" authority/council defining their canon—and Jesus and the Apostles quoted it to them repeatedly and demonstrated how He fulfilled it, refuted them with it, appealed to it as the highest authority, held them accountable to it, without ever debating which books were inspired.</li> <li>See <strong>“The Apocrypha Disproves Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy,” <a href="https://faithalone.net/topical-articles/articles/catholicism/apocrypha.html">https://faithalone.net/topical-articles/articles/catholicism/apocrypha.html</a>.</strong></li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>Hebrew Bible—Tanakh—has three sections: Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings)</h4> <ul> <li>Apocrypha are not included in the Hebrew Bible.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>The 22/24 Hebrew canon and threefold subdivision of the Old Testament is found in numerous ancient Jewish and Christian sources, and in the Old and New Testaments.</h4> <ul> <li><strong>Anglican John Cosin (1594-1672) lists over 76 Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sources, authorities, councils which rejected/distinguished the Apocrypha, in <em>A Scholastical History of the Canon of the Holy Scripture</em></strong>, <a href="https://confessionalbibliology.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The_Works_Of_John_Cosin_Scholastical_his.pdf">https://confessionalbibliology.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The_Works_Of_John_Cosin_Scholastical_his.pdf<em>.</em></a></li> </ul> <h4><strong>V.  </strong>The New Testament uses synecdoches and shorthand phra

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> Dec 21, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  <span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a id="series-14" class="series" href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/seasoned-with-grace">Seasoned with Grace</a></span><span class="sermon-topic"><strong>  Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/christ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christ</a> </span> <span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture:</strong> John 1:1–18; Luke 2:19–20; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15–16; 1 John 2:2; Isaiah 53:5–11; John 1:28–29, 35–37; Matthew 1:18–25; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 2:21–24; Leviticus 12:1–8</span></span></span><sup><br /></sup></p> <p>And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14</p> <ul> <li>Note: A part of the sermon was lost at around 50 minutes of the recording. We restored and merged the recordings that we did have.</li> <li>Jesus is our treasure, our marvel, our wonder, which we ponder in our hearts and bring praise, glory, and honor to Him by our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, offering our entire lives as a living sacrifice unto Him (Luke 2:19-20; Rom. 12).</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>The twfold meaning of Christmas: Two big picture, bookend truths</h4> <ul> <li>The Hypostatic Union of Christ and the Gospel</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>What is the Hypostatic Union?</h4> <ul> <li><strong>Truly God, truly Man:</strong> “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God. Begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made (John 1). For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.” (Nicene Creed)</li> <li>Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man in one Person. The word “hypostatic” comes from the Greek <em>hupostasis</em> (ὑπόστασις), meaning “substance.” Both natures operate in harmony—without confusion, change, division, or separation.</li> <li>The Chalcedonian Definition</li> <li>God the Son is the subject and Person of the Incarnation, not the human nature of Christ: anhypostasis, enhypostasis.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>The Gospel of God’s Propitiation</h4> <ul> <li>Isaiah 53; 1 John 2:2; John 1:28-29, 35-37</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>That is the second truth about Christmas—why Jesus was born</h4> <ul> <li>The Virgin Birth: Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:21-24, Leviticus 12:1-8</li> </ul> <p><strong>We meet on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church</a></strong><br />4712 Montana Ave <br />El Paso, Texas 79903</li> </ul> <p><strong>Contact us at:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>web:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/">ThornCrownCovenant.Church</a><br /><strong>call/text:</strong> (915) 843-8088<br /><strong>email: </strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> </ul> <p>Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. <a href="http://lsbible.org/">LSBible.org</a>&amp

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> December 14, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/scripture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scripture</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>2 Peter 3:1–2, 14–18; Genesis 3:1; Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 15:3; 1:23–25; 12:47; John 10:27–28</span></p> <p><sup>1</sup>This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, <sup>2</sup>that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior <em>spoken</em> by your apostles,... <sup>14</sup>Therefore, beloved, since you are looking for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, <sup>15</sup>and consider the patience of our Lord <em>as</em> salvation, just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, <sup>16</sup>as also in all <em>his</em> letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as <em>they do</em> also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. <sup>17</sup>You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest you, having been carried away by the error of unprincipled men, fall from your own steadfastness, <sup>18</sup>but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him <em>be</em> the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:1–2, 14-18</p> <ul> <li>Both Peter’s audience <em>and</em> the unstable men understood that Paul’s letters were Scripture <em>beforehand</em>.</li> <li>The Church Canon has two canons: Old Testament canon and New Testament canon</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>We can be certain as to what the Divine Canon of Scripture is without requiring any other “infallible” authority…</h4> <ul> <li>…as long as we use the means and criteria and authorities that God gave us to identify and receive the books which He wrote down for His church</li> <li>Scripture alone in conjunction with Progressive Revelation</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>Another testament to the early church recognizing and proliferating the New Testament canon without any other top-down hierarchy or normative authority...</h4> <ul> <li>Which books did the early Christians copy the most? By <em>far</em>?</li> <li>“Persecution of the church began as early as Acts 4, when Herod executed James, the brother of John (Acts 12:2). By the time of Emperor Diocletian (AD 303–312), it was illegal even to own copies of the Bible.”<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a></li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>The canon of Scripture is one of the greatest testaments of how God uses His church in history to be the “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).</h4> <ul> <li>The early church distinguished between authoritative apostolic tradition and all other church traditions, and she recognized the apostolic tradition that was written down to be the exclusive canon of the New Testament.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>Even if it were true that the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox church “gave” us the Bible, as they both claim, and therefore you must rely on them as your authority&hell

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> December 7, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/means-of-grace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Means of Grace</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Matthew 4:1–11; Genesis 3:1–5; Acts 17:23–31; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Matthew 16:17; Revelation 2:4–5</span></p> <p><sup>1</sup>Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. <sup>2</sup>And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. <sup>3</sup>And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” <sup>4</sup>But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1–4</p> <ul> <li>Our first principle is powerfully illustrated and practiced by our Lord and Master, when facing the enemy of all good, in the Wilderness Temptation of Christ.</li> <li><em>Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary</em> defines <em>destiny</em>: “a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency”</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>The devil tempts us both to <em>question</em> the final authority of God’s Word—“Hath God <em>really</em> said?”—<em>and</em> to <em>depend</em> on other authorities that contradict God.</h4> <ul> <li>He uses <em>religious</em> antichrists which the Apostles repeatedly warned against,<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> who claim to speak authoritatively for God, claim to be equal to or above Scripture.</li> <li><strong>Normative authority</strong> is authority that has the power to bind consciences, to direct us to what we ought to do, to command us.</li> <li><em>1689 Baptist Confession</em>, 1.10: “The supreme judge by which all religious controversies are to be settled, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and individual thinkers (private spirits) are to be examined, can be none other than the Holy Scriptures delivered by the Spirit. In the verdict of Scripture our faith is finally determined.”</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>We trust God alone, and the means <em>He</em> has revealed to us.</h4> <ul> <li> <p>Scripture and reason are not<em> two</em> first principles, but <em>one</em>: “God and logic are one and the same first principle, for John wrote that the [Logos] Logic was God.”<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[2]</a></p> </li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. </strong>How do you settle competing interpretations of Scripture?</h4> <ul> <li>God cannot contradict Himself, Scripture cannot contradict itself, they are logically consistent with all the propositions and doctrine of Scripture, “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33).</li> <li>Confessing Protestants affirm other normative authorities for believers and the church (creeds, confessions, catechisms, elders, pastors, church discipline, church councils, etc.)—but Scripture is supreme over <em>all</em>.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>IV. </strong>God’s instituted system of checks and balances</h4> <ul> <li

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sermon-speaker"><span class="sermon-listing-detail"><strong>Lord's Day:</strong> Nov 30, 2025  <strong>Preacher:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/preacher/p/19307/carlos-montijo" rel="p-19307">Carlos Montijo</a>  </span></span><span class="sermon-series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/series/it-is-written:-scripture-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It Is Written: Scripture Alone</a></span>  <span class="sermon-topic"><strong>Topic:</strong> <a href="https://www.thorncrowncovenant.church/sermons/topic/scripture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scripture</a>  </span><span class="sermon-verse"><strong>Scripture: </strong>Isaiah 55:7–11; Romans 15:4–6; 1 Timothy 3:15; Luke 1:67–70; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 40:7–8; 1 Corinthians 4:6–7; Hebrews 1:1–2; Romans 3:2–4; Ephesians 2:19–22; Jude 3</span></p> <p><sup>7</sup>Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to Yahweh, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. <sup>8</sup>“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares Yahweh. <sup>9</sup>“For <em>as</em> the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. <sup>10</sup>“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, <sup>11</sup>So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what pleases Me, And without succeeding <em>in the matter</em> for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:7–11</p> <p><sup>4</sup>For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through the perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. <sup>5</sup>Now may the God of perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, <sup>6</sup>so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:4–6</p> <p><sup>15</sup>but in case I am delayed, <em>I write</em> so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15</p> <ul> <li>These passages tell a story of God’s providence and means of how he gave His Word to His people.</li> <li>Use the Jesus Test (Mark 7), the Berean Test, the Scripture Test, the “It is written” Test, the “Do not go beyond what is written” Test—no matter how divinely inspired or infallible a tradition may claim to be.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>I.  </strong>How do we as Protestants know what Scripture is?</h4> <ul> <li>The word <em>canon</em> means something straight, or something to keep straight; and hence also a rule, or something ruled or measured, a standard.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>II. </strong>There are three canons of Scripture</h4> <ul> <li>The Divine Canon and the Church Canon—they must be distinguished.</li> <li>The Church Canon has two canons: Old Testament Canon and New Testament Canon, because God used different means and criteria to give each one to His people.</li> <li>God called, sanctioned, ordained prophets with authority, divine predictions, miracles, signs, and wonders in the Old Testament to confirm that the words were from God Himself, and similarly called, sanctioned, ordained apostles and prophets with authority, miracles, signs, and wonders to confirm the divine origins of the preaching, teaching, and writings of the Apostles and their prophetic associates.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>III. W</strong>e can have certainty as to what the Divine Canon of Scripture is, using the means and criteria that God gave us to identify and receive the book