'grace' Tagged Posts
O Jerusalem Jerusalem
In a span of three chapters – Matthew 21-23 – we encounter a fascinating collection of Jesus’s personality and character traits. He first rides into Jerusalem like aristocracy on “Palm Sunday” (21:1-11). Quickly transitioning from king to combatant, He then rushes the temple and takes no prisoners with his homemade whip (21:12-17). The next morning, He curses at a fig tree which lacks fruit (21:18-22). When interrogated with difficult questions, Jesus displays incredible wisdom and composure with His answers (21:23-27;…
Faith and Works
Do you realize how often we give and receive contrasting pieces of wisdom? Several popular proverbs in our culture are diametrical. For example, some people say that “birds of a feather flock together,” but others claim that “opposites attract.” One saying contends that similarities bring people together, while the other alleges that differences bring people together. It has been said that “actions speak louder than words,” but it has also been said that “the pen is mightier than the sword.”…
THE WHY SERIES – WHY DOES THE CHURCH OF CHRIST BELIEVE THAT SALVATION CAN BE LOST?
The Bible indicates that salvation is received when one confesses his or her belief in Jesus as the risen Son of God (Mark 16:16; Romans 10:9-10), repents of the sins that he or she has committed (Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 7:10), and submits to baptism so that he or she reenacts Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and, thereby, comes in contact with God’s grace through Christ’s blood which removes all sin (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-4; 1 Peter 3:18-22).…