The Christian really operates in two spheres: the human and the divine, the visible and the invisible. Physically, he is on the earth in a human body—but spiritually he is seated with Christ in the heavenly sphere. It is this heavenly sphere that provides the power and direction for the...
“I would like to become a Christian,” an interested woman said to a visiting pastor, “but I’m afraid I can’t hold out. I’m sure to sin again!” Turning to 1 John 1, the pastor said, “No doubt you will sin again, because God says, ‘If we say that we have...
Many people must have more and more material things in order to be happy and feel successful. But riches can be a trap and lead to bondage, not freedom. Instead of giving satisfaction, riches can create additional desires; and these must be satisfied. Instead of providing help and health, an...
Having contemplated God’s great plan of salvation for Jews and Gentiles, all Paul could do was sing a hymn of praise (see below). As someone has remarked, “Theology becomes doxology!” Only a God as wise as our God could take the fall of ancient Israel, for example, and turn it...
Christian love does not mean that I must like a person and agree with him on everything. I may not like his vocabulary or his habits, and I may not want him for an intimate friend. Christian love means treating others the way God has treated me. It is an...
Jesus gave four instructions to guide us in our praying (Matthew 6:5-15). We must pray in secret before we pray in public. If we pray in public, we should be in the habit of praying in private. We must pray sincerely. The fact that a request is repeated does not...
God’s grace involves something more than giving us salvation. We not only are saved by grace, but we are to live by grace. We stand in grace: it is the foundation for the Christian life. Grace gives us the strength we need to be victorious soldiers. Grace enables us to...
Because we belong to Jesus Christ by faith and are united to Him, we have access to His fullness. We have within us a “well of living water” that perpetually satisfies. More than that, we have a river of living water that flows from Christ to us, and then through...
Beware of “the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). Sin always promises freedom but in the end brings bondage. It promises life but instead brings death. Sin has a way of gradually binding a person until there is no way of escape, apart from the gracious intervention of the Lord. Even...
The word confidence literally means “freedom of speech, openness.” Believers can come boldly to the throne of grace with openness and freedom and not be afraid. We have this boldness because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because we are too prone to fail, we should not have confidence...