The New Testament often likens the Christian life to a race. God calls us to work out what He has worked in us (Phil. 2:12-13), and we are to run to win. What does it take to live all-out for the glory of God and avoid becoming "disqualified"?
Our natural bent is to be content, and so often our pride causes us to compare ourselves with others and even convince ourselves that, if only we could change our circumstances, we would be more spiritual and in a better position to serve the Lord. But the fact is that God is sovereign over every circumstance we face, and His will is not necessarily that we change those circumstances, but that we grow in Christ in and through them.
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." Yet, there is much that doesn't change in our lives as a result of regeneration. One of these is our marital status! God does not call us to change our circumstances, but to stay put and grow in Christ right where we are.
The First Century church at Corinth had the same sort of tendency to be deceived as we do in the 21st Century concerning the definition of a genuine Christian. So many in our day tell themselves and one another that they are on their way to heaven even though they are living in blatant, unrepentant sin. What does the Scripture say about this?
What are Christians to do when they have suffered a personal wrong from another believer? Is it acceptable to take a fellow Christian to court? If not, why not? And if not, what are we to do? The Bible provides practical solutions to the everyday issues we face, and sometimes its instruction is more specific than we might think.
Pride is the underlying disease that affects each and every one of us and colors everything we think, do, and say. How do we address it? As a skilled physician of the soul, the Apostle Paul shows us by example what it looks like to deny ourselves and to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
Why do some Christians never seem to grow? Is there such a thing as a 'carnal Christian,' or is perpetual immaturity an anomaly? Are spiritual people Christians who have reached a higher plane of knowledge and maturity? What exactly is the measure of spiritual maturity, anyway, and how do we grow in Christ?
The world prizes status, achievement, and human wisdom. Were the world to compose the church, it would fill it with the rich and famous. But God has intentionally chosen those who, in the eyes of the world, are nobodies to shame the wise so that no one may boast in His presence, and that the redeemed would boast only in Him.
People are always desiring to have their ears tickled at the expense of the truth (2 Tim. 4:3), and preachers who are willing to cater to that desire abound in our narcissistic, entertainment driven culture. When we tamper with the truth of God's Word, we empty the gospel of its divine power because the wisdom of this world and the true wisdom of God are diametrically opposed.
Unity in the local church is of utmost importance to the Lord Jesus. Because Christians are united to Him, they are united to one another. Yet sadly, due to our pride, we fail to behave in a way that is consistent with this blessed identity and strife and division run rampant. How can we guard ourselves against disunity?
"Every good and perfect gift is from above..." Yet we are so prone to think that we are responsible for our successes, and look to point the finger of blame when things don't go our way. Through his example of thankfulness, the Apostle Paul directs our attention to the bountiful blessings that are ours in Christ which should cause us to always give thanks to God, and therefore to be humble.
God has been gracious to reveal Himself to us, not only through the skies, but through the Scriptures. It is only in the pages of the Bible that we find who He is, who we are, and what He has done to reconcile us to Himself. When we rightly respond to this revelation, His glory is revealed in us!
God has been gracious to reveal Himself to us, not only through the skies, but through the Scriptures. It is only in the pages of the Bible that we find who He is, who we are, and what He has done to reconcile us to Himself. When we rightly respond to this revelation, His glory is revealed in us!
God has not left Himself without a witness. The heavens declare His glory in a general sense, and His Word is His special revelation that tells us not only who He is, but who we are, and what He has done to redeem a people for Himself. As a reflection of who He is, God's Word is His powerful and sufficient means both to save and to sanctify His own.
Life is oftentimes hard, and sometimes it seems almost unbearable. It is at these times we are prone to spiral downward into despondency and doubt. How do we reconcile the fact that God is good with the overwhelming circumstances we face?
The biblical concept of repentance includes an acknowledgment of sin and the need to turn away from it and to turn to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing. When repentance is genuine, it brings about a resolve in the soul to no longer live for oneself, but for the Lord, understanding that God is not interested in outward change that does not flow first from a heart that has been transformed by the gospel.
Psalm 51 provides five basic aspects of genuine repentance. As King David pours out his heart to the Lord, he takes us by the hand, as it were, and walks us through what repentance looks like in shoe leather.
The 1689 Baptist Confession states that, "although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation, yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation to them that repent, which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary." Psalm 51 is a divine primer for penitents; a guidebook to help those who have come to understand their helplessness in applying themselves to genuine repentance.
If you could sum up the Christian life, what would it look like? The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, answers that question with a closing summary of his letter to Titus: believers are to be devoted to good works, God's word, and God's people.
