God Saves and God Sanctifies

The Nature of Man

In this sermon short from “The Nature of Man” (Genesis 1:26–31), Pastor Ben Smith draws a powerful connection between Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness and man’s true nature. When Isaiah saw the Lord “high and lifted up,” he was undone—not proud or self-assured, but humbled before God’s glory. In the same way, we must see ourselves rightly before God. Man is not autonomous or self-defined, but an image bearer of God, created to serve His purposes and steward His creation according to His sovereign will. Resources: Listen to the full sermon at: https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdom/genesis1-26-31 [https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdom/genesis1-26-31] Listen to more Sermon Shorts at bensmithsr.org/shortspod [https://www.bensmithsr.org/shortspod?utm_source=chatgpt.com]

This is My Father’s World

In this Sermon Short from the sermon “God Created, Genesis 1”, Ben Smith reminds us that believing God created all things from nothing is not only a matter of faith but also foundational to Christianity itself. From the early church’s Apostles’ Creed to the Nicene Creed, Christians throughout history have affirmed God as “Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” This truth shapes how you view the world: God is the Creator, God is sovereign, and His creation is good. The hymn This Is My Father’s World echoes this conviction, calling us to rest in God’s power and goodness even when wrong seems strong—because Christ has already won the victory. Key Takeaways Creation is central to Christian faith. Every heresy begins with denying God’s sovereignty as Creator. Historic creeds affirm this truth. Both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed begin with the confession of God as Creator. God’s sovereignty is our rest. Despite evil and brokenness, God rules over His world, and Christ will bring all things to completion. Hymn Highlight: This Is My Father’s World The episode closes with the beloved hymn, celebrating God’s presence and power in creation, and reminding us that: “This is my Father’s world, The battle is not done; Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and heaven be one.” Resources Listen to more Sermon Shorts at bensmithsr.org/shortspod [https://www.bensmithsr.org/shortspod?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Hymn: This Is My Father’s World (public domain)

God Saves and God Sanctifies

From the sermon: Stand Firm, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 preached at Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA on June 8, 2025. Pastor Ben Smith teaches how salvation and sanctification are inseparable works of God. When God saves, He also sanctifies. And if one is not being sanctified, then neither have they been saved.

Do not be deceived by the lies of Satan. Salvation is only through Christ Jesus

From the sermon: Do Not Be Alarmed, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 preached at Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA on June 1, 2025. Pastor Ben Smith encourages sinners to trust in Christ alone for salvation and the church to trust in the sovereignty, authority, and power of God.

View From the Pulpit

I am excited to announce a new podcast project titled View from the Pulpit. Each episode will feature interviews with pastors and church members exploring the role of preaching, the labor of preparing to preach, the effectiveness of how one preaches, and so much more. This podcast is about preaching, but it is not just for preachers. So whether each Sunday you are behind the pulpit or in the pew, I hope you will tune in for engaging conversations that will help you better understand why preaching is vital to the church’s health. The podcast is available in Apple Podcast, Spotify, and many other podcast apps. Subscribe today so that you will not miss an episode.