To be a “saint” is to be “separate.” A saint has accepted God’s call to be redeemed from sin — seeking salvation, he has obeyed the gospel. But since not everyone has done that, those who have done so are “set apart” as God’s unique possession.
If we’re in Christ, the result of God’s justification is that we are “heirs.” Eventually, we will hear Christ say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
Eternal with God the Father, Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega. The world was created through Him, and He is moving history toward its final destination. For us, salvation means this: being found “in Christ” when He returns.
Jesus spoke boldly about the kingdom of God. If we find ourselves challenged by what He taught concerning the kingdom, it’s because we need to be challenged. Whether we will allow God to rule in our hearts or not is the central concern of the gospel.
For those who have obeyed the gospel and remained faithful to the commitment they made, Christ’s return will be the time when they pass from the kingdom of God in this present world to His kingdom in eternity (1 Corinthians 15:24-26).
As the new king of Israel, Solomon would have some serious responsibilities. So David encouraged his son with the most important advice he could have given him: “know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind.”
Israel was fortunate to have such a stark reminder as the Day of Atonement. And today, we lose much of the depth that should characterize our godliness if we never think of sin except to say, “Sin? It’s no big deal. God’s grace has got me covered.”
There is simply no force in the world more potent than love — and when love is a holy passion for God, it is a force that will move us to do what is right with fiery energy. “Love in its essence is spiritual fire” (Emanuel Swedenborg).
Is it any wonder that we see so many exhortations in the Scriptures to keep the faith. These warnings are greatly needed. We should not be doubtful about our salvation, but as long as Satan is still in business, we can’t afford to be complacent.
Despite the negative aspects of “warfare,” it is a fact that strength, as well as gratitude, is generally built up through struggle. Danger is certainly one of the “good and perfect gifts” that might come from a God who wants us to be strong.
Eternal with God the Father, Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega. The world was created through Him, and He is moving history toward its final destination. For us, ...
Jesus spoke boldly about the kingdom of God. If we find ourselves challenged by what He taught concerning the kingdom, it’s because we need to be challenged. Whether we will ...
For those who have obeyed the gospel and remained faithful to the commitment they made, Christ’s return will be the time when they pass from the kingdom of God in ...
As the new king of Israel, Solomon would have some serious responsibilities. So David encouraged his son with the most important advice he could have given him: “know the God ...
Resurrection has two sides. For some, the resurrection will be one of “life,” but to others it will be one of “condemnation” (John 5:28,29). Human beings have eternal souls — ...
Universalism is fueled not by biblical exegesis but by emotional preferences. Hell is simply incongruent with the way people want to feel about God. “The issue of the new universalism ...
Jesus was never more revolutionary than in His practice of love. If we take all that He did (and not just our favorite parts), even our most “advanced” ideas about ...
Writing to Timothy, Paul left no doubt about the object of Jesus’ work: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). This echoes Jesus’ own words, ...
Jesus is described as “the faithful witness” (Revelation 1:5), which means He told the truth in everything He reported to mankind about God. He claimed He came from God, had ...
I’m mighty glad that God’s love is steadfast. Were it not for His lovingkindness, this weak child of His would have been disinherited long, long ago. And, in Christ, I ...
If we reject “organized” religion, where does that leave the Lord’s Supper? Are we really “Christians” today if we don’t take seriously an observance that, in the New Testament, was ...
Creating beings with a free will is exactly what God did when He created us. And the result is that those who accept Him, whether many or few, do so ...