Tag: works
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Daily Devotional: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Paul, and those with him when he visited Thessalonica, shared the gospel free of monetary charge in the midst of great oppression while they were there. The Thessalonian church is now made up of people who believed despite oppression from both Jews and gentiles in their city. Paul is greatly encouraged and praises the church. …
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Daily Devotional: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-4
Paul has Silvanus and Timothy with him. As is customary for Paul, he includes them in the writing of his letter. He writes to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ—that is in His name. Paul’s trinitarian theology shows at the start. Paul begins with a blessing: Grace…
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Daily Devotional: Romans 4:9-25
Remember, Paul’s audience is Roman––Greek and gentile. Paul has been explaining the Law. God gave the Law to the Jews. The Christ was Jewish. The Jews are considered the people of Yahweh. So, Paul answers a question that was doubtless on the minds of those reading his gospel message, “What about us? We are not…
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What Must We Be Converted From?
Jesus enlightened Peter as to what it meant to be a child of God—it meant exemption from the civil and ceremonial laws in the Torah. Adopted sons are no longer strangers. Jesus got at salvation and reward by grace alone through faith alone. The purpose for the Law was not to make someone righteous but…
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What if We Really Believed the Storm Obeys Jesus?
Do you desire to see God work? I don’t know of any person who would answer this question with a “No.” Even the most sincere atheist would claim that if he or she could see God at work he would no longer be an atheist. Of course we desire to see God work! In the…
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Proof That We Don’t Love Jesus…
Do you desire to see God work? I don’t know of any person who would answer this question with a “No.” Even the most sincere atheist would claim that if he or she could see God at work he would no longer be an atheist. Of course we desire to see God work! In the…
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Faith is Not a Chair!
I remember this illustration about faith that I always heard growing up and I hear it still today. Faith in God is like having faith in a chair. We sit on a chair and have faith that it will hold us up. So, too, is our faith in God. I find this illustration troublesome. Faith…
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Gaining Works, Losing Christ
When I was little, I remember starting to build a club house on our property with my dad. This club house was going to be the best club house anyone had ever seen because my dad built houses for a living and he was the best at what he did. We had some extra 2×4’s…