Jesus Became a Curse for Us
If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on
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Category: Grace
3 Reasons to Shun the Gospel According to Works
The gospel of grace is true and magnifies the works of God. The gospel of works is false and magnifies the efforts man. The gospel of grace runs against-the-grain of man’s innate pride and sense of self-achievement—giving evidence of the
Continue readingHe Is Able
Innumerable voices in the media relentlessly tell us, “You can do it!” But if we are honest with ourselves, we know deep down that we can’t. We fail often. We are not invincible. Life’s challenges reveal to us that we
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God’s Kind of Church
Known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Leaning Tower of Pisa stands (or tilts) as an enduring testimony to the importance of a sure foundation. Begun in 1173, this marble bell tower was designed to reach
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God Is Glorified in His Gospel of Grace
The good news of salvation through Jesus Christ is first for the glory of God, and then for the good of man. The gospel shines light upon the mercy, love, and grace of God in ways that creation could never
Continue readingTogether at Last
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (Rev. 21:1) There is much to think about…so much that is packed in
Continue readingHow Grace Should Impact Life in the Local Church
The grace of God that is brought to us through the gospel of Jesus Christ transforms us from the inside out, making us like Christ. Though conversion is a one-time event, life transformation (or sanctification) is a process that continues
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Saving and Transforming Grace
The Christian life is a life of grace. It begins with God saving us by His grace. It continues with God sanctifying us by His grace. And it will end—with the full redemption of our souls and bodies—by God’s grace.
Continue readingThe Unbreakable Chain of Redemption
Last month, the legendary actress and singer, Doris Day, died at the age of 97. This means that many of you don’t know her name, since the peak years of her career were the 1950s. But some of you are
Continue readingGuard the Gospel of God’s Grace
No message is of greater importance than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news that God saves sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is our eternal hope. And it is this gospel—and our adherence to
Continue readingEmpathy Requires Humility
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. (Romans 12:15-16) Genuine empathy requires humility. But humility
Continue readingYour Church and the Hood of a Sports Car
Reflecting on Jesus’s commendation and rebuke of the loveless church at Ephesus, in Revelation 2:1-7, John Crotts gently admonishes all of us in his little book, Graciousness: Tempering Truth with Love. Churches are the Lord’s lights shining out in the
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How Not to Help a Sufferer – “The problem with Job’s comforters isn’t that they’re heretics. Much of what they say is true. The problem is the moralistic worldview that governs their engagement with Job, and compels them to reason
Continue readingJesus Has Authority to Forgive Sin
Jesus is the friend of sinners to all who come to Him in the humility of repentant faith. In other words, when sinners like you and me come to Jesus in the humility of faith we find Him to be
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Make Charitable Judgments
If you love someone, you discipline your mind to assume the best about that person’s words or actions until you have the facts to prove otherwise. While such mental discipline may not seem to fit modern sentimental concepts of love,
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I Felt the Sun Today – a lovely poem. The Lie of Perfectionism – “Perfectionism makes everyone miserable, even if it works for a while.” Print this entry
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Legalism Is Easier, the Gospel Is Better – ” Legalism allows us many of the benefits of Christianity like community, acceptance, and even grace, but it stops short of true salvation. It doesn’t truly penetrate your heart and change your
Continue readingEvery Pastor, Counselor, and Ministry Leader (and every Christian) Should Read this Little Book
This past May, at the Basics Conference at Parkside Church, I picked up a copy of a new book from Reformation Heritage Books. The book’s simple, one-word title caught my eye. Nothing in my memory indicated that I’d ever seen
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