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Without Restraint
Commentary by Richard T. RitenbaughIn these perilous times of the last days, as described by the apostle Paul in II Timothy 3:1-5, attitudes of being without self-control, brutal, and headstrong are increasingly evident among people. The tragic murder of young Cannon Hinnant by a neighbor, a 25-year-old man who acted with apparent unprovoked brutality, exemplifies this lack of restraint. Such unrestrained behavior is not limited to individual acts of violence but is also seen in widespread societal actions, where individuals and groups operate without boundaries, engaging in vandalism, violence, and other criminal acts. This absence of restraint extends to various spheres, including governance and social interactions, where inhibitions are loosened, and people act impulsively. The root of this unrestrained behavior lies in the severance of ties with God and His Word, which provide essential boundaries for ethical and moral living. As Solomon states in Proverbs 29:18, without these godly principles, people run wild, likely to commit any act in their perceived freedom, with the potential to become even worse over time.
What Restrains the Man of Sin?
'Prophecy Watch' by Charles WhitakerII Thessalonians 2 speaks about a force restraining the man of sin, the lawless man. Such a leader cannot rise and dominate in a law-abiding culture.
Authority
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAs human society descends into lawlessness through the rejection of divine authority, true faith is revealed through submission to God's established hierarchy.
The Handwriting Is on the Wall (1995)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughBecause restraints that once held human nature in check have been removed, the US has grown increasingly more corrupt, approaching conditions before the Flood.
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Ten): Cultivating the Fruit of Self Control
Sermon by David F. MaasIt is impossible to cultivate self-control unless one uses God's Spirit to reprogram the desires of the heart from self-centeredness to submission to God.
God and Self-Government
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe New Covenant, wherein God writes His law on the heart and gives His Spirit, empowers God's people to obey without the need for external control.
Self-Discipline
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughProtestant theology recognizes that Christian self-discipline presents a major logical difficulty in its keystone doctrine of 'by grace alone.'
Self-Government and Responsibility (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJacob's Trouble, or the Great Tribulation, comes about because people are not meeting their God-given responsibilities: keeping His Commandments.
A Rewired Society (Part Two): A Post-Truth World
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe new morality is lawlessness and rejection of all restraints, which ironically makes them abject slaves of sin and candidates for the Lake of Fire.
WHAT?! Me Submit to Someone Else?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsSubmitting is repugnant to the carnal mind. The church is no place for uncompromising people who demand their own way.