ecclesiology, ethics, exegesis/exposition, grace, Jesus, teachings of
Introduction Because of its detail and sequence, Matthew 18:15-20 has long been recognized as a central passage in dealing with sin, conflict resolution, and discipline in the church. In these verses Jesus provides His disciples a pattern for dealing with a sinning...
grace, gratitude, holiday
It’s a great day to think about freedom. In Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the concept of freedom is emphasized (free and freedom are mentioned seven times). In 5:1, Paul explains, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not...
grace, leadership, lists, priorities, success
#1 The Supremacy of His Glory It’s simple: It is all about Him, end of story. Ephesians 1 illustrates how Father (1:6), Son (1:12), and Holy Spirit (1:14) each work together for the glory of God. His activities serve His own purpose of expressing His character,...
apologetics, diversity, ethics, grace, pacifism
Paul’s words echo as if exclaimed from a canyon, yet we often fail to hear them. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom 12:18). At the same time if we listen closely, we can hear the resolve in Jude’s voice as he urges believers to...
grace, salvation, theology
Our new position in Christ does not just include the removal of debits (forgiveness, Acts 10:43, Rom 4:7, Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, 1 Jn 1:9), but also the addition of credits (the righteousness of Christ, Rom 1:7, 3:22, 4:3-5, 5:17-19, 2 Cor 5:21). Both are required for a...
death, grace, hope, worldview
It surrounds us constantly. We can’t escape it, though sometimes we brush up against it without realizing how near it really is. The imminence of tragedy and heartache is a cold and unwelcome reality for all of us, as we were reminded by the awful flooding in...
eternal punishment, ethics, exegesis/exposition, grace, salvation, world religions
On September 11, 2013, Pope Francis wrote a Letter to Those Who Do Not Believe, responding to Eugenio Scalfari, in answer to several questions, including whether or not God forgives and saves those who don’t believe in Him. Francis writes with admirable goals to...
death, eternal punishment, grace, hope, Jesus, teachings of, salvation, theology
In the third installment of the Indiana Jones franchise (spoiler alert), the guardian of the “holy grail” warned Jones to “choose wisely, as the real grail brings eternal life, the false grail brings death.” Jones proves his wise choice by not...
exegesis/exposition, grace, hermeneutics, salvation, theology
John MacArthur holds to Calvinism’s five points, including limited atonement (the “L” in TULIP). He departs from his generally literal hermeneutic in handling 1 John 2:2, arguing that ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου does not refer to the whole world “Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of...
