Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. John refutes the gnostic notion that one can be innocent of sin while practicing lawlessness by connecting sin and lawlessness together and showing that they are one and the same. And this doctrine is particularly relevant to the Church today as many pulpits teach …
Practicing Sin: 1st John 3:4a
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. The beloved apostle brings his epistle to its apex by identifying what differentiates the children of God from the children of the Devil and confronting the gnostic dichotomy between “sin” and “lawlessness” that many believed made it possible to “be righteous” while living in …
The Sin of Greed
Greed has gone largely unaddressed in Western Christianity because it has such a powerful grip on our culture and it can sometimes be difficult to identify, but we have protected greed by veiling it in heavy cloaks of subjectivity so that no one can confront it without being condemned as “judgmental” and “divisive”. Indeed, this …
Why is Cussing Sinful? Matthew 12:36-37
Matthew 12:36–37 (CSB) — 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Why does God care about what comes out of our mouths? In light …
Body Envy: 1st Corinthians 12:12-20
1 Corinthians 12:12–20 (CSB) — 12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given …
Vision for Christian Life: Romans 12:1-21; 14:1-23
INTRODUCTION: Vision for Christian Life Opening Prayer: Ephesians 3:16–19 (CSB) — 16 I pray that he may grant [us], according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in [our] inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith. I pray that [we], being rooted …
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Witchcraft in America: Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Deuteronomy 18:9–14 (CSB) — “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations. 10 No one among you is to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, 11 cast spells, consult a medium or …
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Religion That Offends God
God is offended by the kind of religion that makes room for both "the world" and "Christ"; he does not accept the prayers of those who continue in iniquity. Instead, God gives us greater grace in Christ so that we can cleanse our hands, purify our hearts, and humbly draw near to him through Christ.
A Theology of Womanhood
CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD Genesis 1:27 (CSB) So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. True Biblical womanhood begins with understanding how the feminine expression of human nature displays the glory and image of God. The first and greatest …
Spanking & Discipline: Proverbs 22:15
Proverbs 22:15 (CSB) Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth; a rod of discipline will separate it from him. This kind of discipline is counter-intuitive to human nature, and I think most parents naturally detest the idea of spanking their beloved child – indeed I think we should not naturally like to discipline …
