
Major W. Ian Thomas
- Sermons
- Bio
Christ Himself the Content of Christian Faith
0ROM 5:10PHP 2:131TH 5:24TIT 3:5Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that Christianity is more than just a religion or ethical code; it is a contemporary experience where Christ Himself is the life content of the faith, empowering believers to live out His demands. Christ's death not only saves from a bad conscience but also paves the way for divine action, reconciling us to God and continually saving us through His life. Upon responding to God's call, believers are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, not by their own works but by God's mercy and the work of Jesus Christ.
Religious or Christian?
0MAT 7:21JHN 10:10ROM 8:11GAL 2:20COL 1:27Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the distinction between being religious and being a true Christian, pointing out how many substitute religion for a genuine relationship with God, Christianity for Christ, and their own efforts for the power of the Holy Spirit. He highlights the importance of Christ's presence within believers, as He gave Himself for us to give Himself to us, infusing us with God's life. Thomas challenges individuals to not just thank Jesus for what He did, but to live in the power of who He is, allowing Christ to live through them.
Exchanged Life
0JHN 6:29ROM 12:1GAL 2:20JAS 2:26Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that Christian living is not a mere method or technique but a revolutionary principle of an exchanged life, where Christ lives in believers. He warns against divorcing Christian behavior from the Gospel, stressing that the true spiritual content of the Gospel is Christ in us, not just the promise of heaven in the future. Thomas highlights the importance of living faith that breathes with divine action, rooted in Jesus Christ, producing 'good works' that find approval in God.
Eternal Life Is Christ
0JHN 1:4JHN 14:6GAL 2:20COL 3:41JN 5:11Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that eternal life is not merely a place we go to when we die or a feeling inside us, but it is synonymous with Jesus Christ Himself. He explains that having eternal life means having Jesus Christ now, as He is the source of life. Thomas highlights that eternal life is not a future destination but a present reality for believers, a quality of life possessed in the physical body in the world today.
I Am Thou Art
0LUK 24:39JHN 14:62CO 12:9GAL 5:25COL 2:10Major W. Ian Thomas preaches about the need for sinners to seek forgiveness and redemption in Christ, emphasizing that Jesus is all that a guilty sinner needs for salvation. By putting our trust in Him, we can be saved and receive His indwelling Holy Spirit, experiencing true life in Him. Walking in the Spirit involves taking one step at a time, listening for Christ's guidance in every situation, and acknowledging His sufficiency in all circumstances. True godliness is manifested when our hearts declare Jesus Christ as the only explanation for our lives, unwaveringly affirming His adequacy and sufficiency.
You Must Have What He Is (Life) to Be What He Was (Perfect)
0ROM 5:172CO 3:18GAL 2:20EPH 2:10PHP 2:13Major W. Ian Thomas preaches about godliness not being about imitating God, but allowing God to reproduce Himself in us, leading to Christ-righteousness through faith and dependence on God. This righteousness restores the image of God in us, making us active in Christ's work and exalting us to kingly stature. While spiritual regeneration doesn't bring sinless perfection, our faith and obedience allow God to work in us, transforming us to be more like Him.
At His Disposal
0ROM 8:2ROM 8:4GAL 2:20EPH 2:5COL 1:27Major W. Ian Thomas preaches about the transformative power of Christ's atoning death on the cross, emphasizing that through redemption, believers receive the Holy Spirit within them, transitioning from death to life and becoming united with Christ. The Christian life is living out the life of Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit, allowing Him to govern every aspect of one's being as part of His corporate body, the church. This new law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus restores the faith-love relationship between the soul and God, enabling believers to declare the Son and live a Deo-centric life under the guidance of the Spirit, leading to a radical change of government within oneself.
Inexhaustible Supply of Deity
0JHN 14:6PHP 2:6COL 2:9HEB 4:152PE 1:3Major W. Ian Thomas preaches about Jesus Christ being the ultimate revelation of truth, encompassing all we need to know about God and man. Jesus, while fully God, also became fully man, embodying the perfect relationship between man and God. Through His obedience and humility, Jesus demonstrated what it means to be truly available to God, allowing us to access the unlimited resources of deity through Him.
The Mystery of Godliness
0GEN 1:27JHN 15:5ROM 8:29EPH 4:241TI 3:16Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the mystery of godliness, stating that it is not about imitating God like a monkey or a parrot, but rather about God reproducing Himself in us. He highlights that godliness is a direct consequence of God's activity in us, not our own capacity to imitate Him. Thomas warns against trying to explain away this mystery, as it would lead to disastrous consequences and a loss of anchoring to anything absolute.
A Human Vehicle of the Divine Life
0ROM 8:37GAL 2:20PHP 4:131TH 5:24HEB 2:14Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the divine partnership between believers and God, where God calls us to live a righteous life and preach the Gospel, and through our consent, He works in and through us to accomplish His will. By trusting in Christ not only for redemption but also for the empowerment to live a supernatural life, we can experience freedom from self-effort and dependence on His strength in all circumstances, leading to victory over internal struggles and a restored humanity as vessels of God's life.
Fullness in Everything
0Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the importance of abiding in Christ to bear much fruit, highlighting that without Jesus, we can do nothing, just as Jesus could do nothing without the Father. He explains that Jesus Christ can do everything through us if we make ourselves fully available to Him, as all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him. Thomas delves into the concept of faith that releases divine action, emphasizing the simplicity of taking God at His Word and living by faith.
Being and Doing
0JHN 5:19JHN 15:5ROM 6:11ROM 12:1EPH 2:10PHP 1:21Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the divine vocation believers have been redeemed into, created for good works ordained by God. He highlights the necessity of relying on the power of the indwelling Spirit to fulfill this calling, just as Jesus depended on the Father. Without Christ, we can do nothing, and all human efforts apart from Him are futile. Thomas urges believers to present themselves as living sacrifices, allowing Christ to work through them completely, so that every aspect of their lives reflects the Son of God.
Dependence
0ACT 3:19ROM 14:232CO 3:17GAL 5:161JN 3:4Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the contrast between living for oneself, which leads to walking in the flesh and being under the influence of the devil, versus living for Christ, which results in walking in the Spirit and being under God's dominion. He highlights that the difference lies not just in actions but in the underlying principles that govern behavior, with independence from God being at the root of sin. Repentance, therefore, involves shifting from independence to dependence on God, and the extent of repentance is reflected in the level of dependence on Him.
Freedom of Choice
0DEU 30:19JOS 24:15JHN 3:16ROM 10:131TI 2:6HEB 2:91JN 2:2Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes the importance of not being deceived into believing that God has limited the efficacy of Christ's blood or that some are unable to repent due to being outside of God's redemptive purpose. He clarifies that reluctance to repent lies with man, not with God, and highlights the necessity of freedom of choice in obedience or disobedience. Thomas challenges the notion that God arbitrarily determines who can obey the Gospel, stressing that Christ's sacrifice is for all and that God offers the ability to repent to every individual.
The Origin of Your Activity
0JHN 8:29JHN 14:101CO 12:6COL 1:19HEB 9:14Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that the spirituality of our actions is not determined by their nature but by their origin, highlighting that every action of Jesus was divinely significant as it originated from the Father. Jesus, as a completely available Man, perfectly fulfilled God's intended purpose for humanity, allowing the Father to work through Him flawlessly. Whether it was preaching, performing miracles, or serving others, all of Jesus' activities were equally spiritual because they stemmed from the Father's work through Him.
The Christian Life: A Sheer Impossib Ility!
0JHN 15:52CO 5:17GAL 2:20PHP 1:21COL 3:3Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that living the Christian life is not about our own abilities or efforts but about fully relying on Jesus Christ. He highlights that if our Christian life can still be explained by our own attributes, then we are not truly living as Christians. The key is to let Jesus Christ be the essence of our lives, so much so that our neighbors are baffled by the quality of life we lead, recognizing it as beyond human explanation and only possible through God's work in us.
How Much Are You Worth?
0ROM 6:111CO 1:292CO 5:162PE 1:3Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that redemption and sanctification cannot be achieved by human efforts but are gifts from God through faith in Christ. He highlights that everything needed for life and godliness is provided by God through Christ, who offers wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The sermon stresses the importance of reckoning oneself dead to the old self and alive in Christ to fully experience God's redemptive purpose, which determines one's true worth beyond worldly standards.
Commitment?
0MAT 6:24MAT 10:37JHN 5:19JHN 15:5ROM 12:11CO 10:31GAL 1:10PHP 3:8COL 3:232PE 1:3Major W. Ian Thomas emphasizes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the epitome of truth, especially in matters of commitment. Jesus' commitment to the Father was unwavering, and He trusted in the Father's sufficiency for all things. Unlike being entangled in worldly affairs or social issues, Jesus' commitment was solely to the Father's will, setting a standard for believers to be exclusively committed to Him and His purposes.