What Do I Mean By ‘Sanctification’?

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This question came up recently on a Christian forum. Since I’ve written quite a bit about justification and sanctification lately, it would be a good idea for me to clarify what I mean by these terms. In the Bible, justification has to do with righteousness. It is about being declared innocent – not guilty – before God. The Law, summarized by the Ten Commandments, reveals God’s righteousness, and therefore it is closely tied to justification. A person can only be justified if the entire Law is kept faultlessly. To break just one Law imputes guilt on a person. Jesus Christ is the only Person to keep the whole Law without sin, but He did so in our place so we … Continue reading →

Is Sanctification By Law Or By Faith?

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We tend to misunderstand what was going on in the Galatian church. Well, let me rephrase. I have misunderstood what was going on in the Galatian church, …but I do think many of us share the same misunderstanding. What I mean is, as we read Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, we assume they were trying to be saved by the works of the Law of Moses. It’s real easy to come to this conclusion when we see warnings of “a different gospel,” and read statements like “a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through the faith of Jesus Christ,” and “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” There is so much … Continue reading →

Note on ‘Galilee of the Nations’

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We’re studying Matthew in my church adult class, and this little tidbit came to me during the study, which seems to give some insight into why Jesus began His ministry in Galilee rather than Jerusalem. Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up to prison, He withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great Light, and upon those … Continue reading →

Thoughts On Running The Race

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Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (ESV) The way a runner runs depends on the kind of race he’s in. When the distance is small, an all-out sprint to the finish line is probably best. But when the distance is great, more self-control must be exercised. For the best possible chance of making it to the finish line first, a runner must control his expenditure of energy such that he has just enough strength to make it across … Continue reading →

Counting All Your Blessings

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In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (VW) Here’s a thought that can either be very uncomfortable or very comfortable, depending on the strength of my faith: When bad things replace good things in my life, I still have just as many reasons to give thanks to God. Faith is essential for this to be a comforting thought, because I must trust that God works all things to my good, including allowing the bad things to happen to me. Even if I violently lose my life for the sake of the gospel, I have a crown of life waiting for me, and an eternal weight of glory that … Continue reading →

New page: The Greater Miracle (Full)

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Many times the greatest miracles are those that don’t seem impressive to outsiders, but are appreciated by those who experience them. Such is the miracle of forgiveness. Some time ago I had posted part of a message I gave in 2007 on the subject of forgiveness called “The Greater Miracle”. The full message is now available to read here. In the message I describe why forgiveness is greater than any physical miracle, and I also describe what makes God’s forgiveness so special. Both of these still amaze me. Give it a good read and see why!

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Is Jesus an honored Guest?

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Today’s Christians, myself included, tend to think of God wrongly. We think of Him as the honored guest in our lives. My wife and I like to have people over for dinner at times. Wanda likes to cook, and whenever we have guests, she’ll cook up something special – and maybe go overboard with it. And that is a good thing. It’s part of being hospitable. We also spend time talking with our guests, and maybe we’ll watch a movie together. But eventually, it’s time for the guests to leave. We then clean up and retire for the evening. That’s the nice thing about guests: you can enjoy the fellowship, and then enjoy getting back to your own lives when … Continue reading →

Just Published: How to Gain Victory Over Sin

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I just published the e-book version of my new book, How to Gain Victory Over Sin. It is available through Amazon (for Kindle), Google Play, and Smashwords. This is a free e-book, although Amazon will show 99 cents until they realize it’s free elsewhere. Links to get the book are on my new ‘Books’ page, where you can also download the PDF version.

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New Book: How to Gain Victory Over Sin

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I am in the final stages of publishing a new free book called How to Gain Victory Over Sin, which is based on something I had posted last year called Victory Over Sin. This book will be made available in e-book form from Amazon.com (for Kindle), Google Play, Smashwords (other formats), as well as here in PDF and other formats. Eventually a paperback edition will be available for a minimal cost. The book’s subject is understanding why we Christians have such a difficult time withstanding temptation, and why we need the Holy Spirit to do so. It’s a subject we can all benefit from… I know I have in studying this. The first and main part of the book can … Continue reading →

Personal Apologetic: The Restoral Of National Israel – Pt 1

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We’ve looked at a few Bible passages that deal with God’s punishment and preservation of the people of Israel over the millenia. There are plenty of additional prophecies similar to the ones mentioned. But I think the strongest prophetic evidence for the existence of God today comes from another related group of prophecies. These prophecies predict the restoration of the nation of Israel in the last days, and the conditions the Jews would find themselves in at that time. We saw how Deuteronomy 28 accurately predicted the history of Israel to their dispersion throughout the world. But the story of Israel does not end in that chapter. Two chapters later we see God’s promise to gather His people together again … Continue reading →