Q. What makes a person a Christian?
A. God’s grace in Jesus Christ is what makes a person a Christian. The hymn Rock of Ages reminds us of this fact as it states, “Could my tears forever flow, Could my zeal no langour know, These for sin could not atone – Thou must save, and Thou alone: In my hand no price I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.” This verse tells us that our regrets, our sorrow, our efforts, our undying zeal would never achieve what is necessary to be saved. Our sin and rebellion has earned us eternal punishment. Read the rest of this entry »
Does the thought of death scare you? Have you experienced anxiety when thinking of your mortality? Most people, at some point in their lives, do fear the inevitable. This is why funerals can be so uncomfortable, apart from the grief. The reality of our mortality can at times cause fear to well up within us. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. For those who have been born-again death is no longer to be feared. The following poem explains why quite beautifully:
Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give. Read the rest of this entry »
Just as a contractor must pay particular attention to the foundation of a building under construction, so must you and I pay attention to the foundation of our ethical decisions. Begin with a weak or faulty foundation and you will witness the crumbling of your ethical positions. Too often we are pressured to adopt ideals because of the economic impact, societal opinion, political correctness, or self-preservation. Will these bear weight of your decisions? I submit they will not. There must be a better way of discerning right from wrong, ethical from unethical. Read the rest of this entry »
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commands.”
1 John 5:2
Love everyone! This seems to be the universal motto. As individuals have considered how they are to live under this motto, it has taken on more and more meaning. Unfortunately, it has taken on more than it should. Now, ‘Love everyone!’ means, ‘Tolerate everyone!’ Even if what they are doing or saying is wrong, you are expected to keep quite. After all, what is right for them may not be right for you. Dialogue which pursues objective truth has been replaced with superficial subjectivism. True love gets lost in this environment. Read the rest of this entry »
My concern is growing. A disturbing cultural division exists. Unfortunately, this is no new problem. It has been around for generations, and no permanent solution has been found. What is my concern? It is the division between the wealthy and the poor.
Don’t get me wrong; I know that we will always have the poor among us. Jesus clearly taught this in the Gospels. The problem isn’t the reality of economic diversity. The problem arises when we view this diversity inappropriately. Read the rest of this entry »
The 2009 Missouri Baptist Pastors’ Conference officers have completed their initial efforts for this year’s conference being held October 26th at FBC Raytown. The theme, LOOK TO CHRIST!, will deal with a number of pertinent topics facing today’s pastors. The scheduled speakers are: Russell Moore, Alan Tomlinson, Gordon Dutile, and Joe Braden. Conference President Doug Richey worked with each speaker in identifying their God-given passions for this important event. Read the rest of this entry »
God created YOU and holds you accountable to His law.
“For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, . . . all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16
“He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness . . .” Acts 17:31
Our sin creates a PROBLEM.
“There is none righteous, not even one; . . . There is none who seeks for God.”
Romans 3:10,11
“. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . .” Romans 3:23 Read the rest of this entry »
What impact do the DSS’s have upon Christianity today? Christians certainly have every reason to stand firm in their faith and, because of the DSS’s, grow stronger. This is true for a number of reasons.
First, the DSS’s give the Bible another tick mark to its credit. How is this? Read the rest of this entry »
Did the early Christians force a foreign concept of Messiah into their religious context? Did Jesus answer John the Baptist’s question positively or not? These questions have created controversy within the broader context of biblical studies. Many liberal scholars believed that Jesus could not have viewed Himself to be the Messiah because the concept of Messiah was one that developed later in the early years of Christianity. When Jesus responded to John the Baptist’s question, He did not claim to be the Messiah. So they said. Today, in light of the DSS, those assertions are considered untenable. Read the rest of this entry »
Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) so important? Is it just that we found ‘old stuff’ that intrigues us or is there more to their significance than their age? Well, certainly the age of these documents stimulates interest and appreciation, but it is the content of these scrolls that makes them the greatest find in modern times. Read the rest of this entry »