What Is Saving Faith?

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We know forgiveness of sins and eternal life comes through faith in Jesus Christ, but what does it mean to believe in Jesus? If you listen to some present the gospel, you might think it’s merely believing Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins. But this was not the message of the apostles and the early church. The New Testament gospel message is primarily about the identity of Jesus. In other words, it is not merely belief that Jesus did something, but that Jesus is who He said He is. It is not “Believe that Jesus can save you from your sins,” but “Believe in the identity of Jesus so that He can save you from … Continue reading →

God With Us

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He said, “Certainly I will be with you. …” – Exodus 3:12 Moses had spent the last forty years of his life in Midian, looking after his father-in-law’s sheep. His days of luxury and privilege in Pharaoh’s house were a distant memory. He had to flee Egypt because Pharaoh sought his life for killing an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating his fellow Israelite. And his own people didn’t appreciate what he did either. So the wilderness became his safe place… a place where he didn’t have to walk the fine line between pleasing Pharaoh and helping his people. He probably felt for what his suffering brothers and sisters were going through hundreds of miles away, but what could he do … Continue reading →

New Page: The Unforgiving Servant

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“We let the world influence our thinking too much. The ideas and ideals presented by secular media have replaced God’s truth in our minds and hearts, and we’re not even aware of it. When we seek to obey God, we unknowingly do so in a worldly way. This is true of forgiveness as well. “We know God wants us to forgive. But when we do so, we use the world’s idea of forgiveness as our model. The world says forgive because it’s good for you. It makes you feel good and gives you peace of mind. It reduces your stress. It may even increase your lifespan. Forgiveness is about you. “But when God commands us to forgive, He offers Himself … Continue reading →

New Page: Parable of the Sower

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It’s been a long time since I’ve posted regularly. I’d like to get back into it, beginning with a series of posts on the parables of Jesus. These will be based on messages I’ve given in the past at Beatty Baptist Church. The first of these is complete and it’s on the first of the parables, the Parable of the Sower. My eventual goal is to get the whole series online, and then work them into a new book with the working title “The Story Teller, and Other Analogies.” This book would contain, as the centerpiece, an expanded version of my “God the Author” analogy, and some other smaller articles that use good analogies. Don’t know if I’ll ever complete … Continue reading →