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Is James Preaching the Social Gospel? Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

As James lays out the Christian life, his directives become far richer and more profound when read in light of the Gospel: we have been purchased with the divine blood of Christ, made His with no merit of our own, and we have been raised with Christ to live in freedom.

But is he preaching the social gospel?

Confessionalism and Why It's Important Jul 20, 2018

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The history of Christianity is marked by these confessions or creeds. The word creed is derived from the Latin word credo, which simply means “I believe.” Thus, all the historic Christian creeds––confessions of faith––begin with this simple line: “I believe…” But why is confession so integral to belief? Because we live in community with God and with one another, yet we don’t always agree with God or with one another. When we believe something important, maybe even something life-changing, an explanation is often required to provide lines of demarcation between where we once were and where we now are.

Worth Your Meditation Jul 19, 2018

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Have you ever considered your devotional life? I’m sure most Christians have at least thought about this or have even attempted to read through some sort of book dedicated to focusing their hearts and minds on the things of God. There are selections of daily devotionals to fit into your every routine - short snippets or lengthy meditations. They appear at all times of the year, before Christmas and Easter, and always in January when you are ready to turn over a new devoted, leaf. They may speak to your unique station in life: for men, women, and children, young and old. Even if you have never encountered these little nuggets of inspiration, I wonder, are they worth your devoted mediation?

The Gift is for those Who Don't Deserve It Jul 18, 2018

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Religion demands transactions between man and gods, but the one true God, in His timing, short-circuited all of our notions of transactions.

Why We Should Question Christianity Jul 12, 2018

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Somehow we have accepted the idea that struggling, searching, and digging to find spiritual answers implies a dangerous lack of faith. We hide behind the safety of a belief that cannot be disproven, the security blanket of a worldview that can never be questioned or falsified. We don’t have to pay attention to any competing claims. We already know in advance that we’re right, so there’s no need to entertain any questions.

What Every Christian Should Know about the End Times Jul 12, 2018

Show notes

The end times and eschatology can get sublimely confusing and if you aren’t careful you can soon lose the forest for the trees and the Gospel for the “signs of the time.” So what’s the Gospel take on the End Times? How do I find comfort in this doctrine while remaining faithful to the historical, Christian witness?

So Many Religions Jul 12, 2018

Show notes

Believing is to trust that the promise of forgiveness is addressed to you and for you through the proclamation (preached Word), water, bread, and wine, and not due to anything good or evil in you, before or after conversion. The promise is dependent on God’s faithfulness to it. This is the Christian faith once delivered to all the saints. It points us outside of ourselves.

Read it for the Sword Stroke Jul 09, 2018

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God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. The thrust of a spear plunging upward piercing the side of God, perforating his bowls, puncturing his heart, collapsing his lungs: this becomes the message of God. The nastiest bit is the Gospel, the good news, your salvation. It’s the foolishness that God could die that our sins could be forgiven by another man’s blood, that salvation is found in the death of a criminal. No glory, just a cross, bowels, blood and bone, the suffocating stench of death, and your salvation where God becomes the propitiation of man.

It's Not, "What Would Jesus Do," but "Who Would Jesus Love" Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

The thing is though, compared to Jesus, nobody's love burns as hot. Compared to Jesus, our love seems depressingly uninspired. But there must be some sort of way we can work ourselves up to Jesus levels of love. There must be some sort of way we can open ourselves to become conduits that God's love can flow through.

How to Measure the True Christian Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

This is an excerpt from Martin Luther’s Commentary on Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (1535), translated by Haraldo Camacho (1517 Publishing, 2018), 109-111, Used by permission.

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