The Most Potent One-Sentence Gospel Message
The Most Potent, One-Sentence Gospel Message
Before we get to the question that the title immediately arouses, which is “What is this one-sentence gospel message that is so potent?,” let’s talk about the typical statements used by preachers & see where they fail. When I discuss the following statements, I’m assuming that there’s nothing else said. It’s possible to recover something of value from the following statements, if we spend the time & energy to do so. But I want to find that ideal statement, that is, the one that expresses the truth of the gospel in the most complete, effective, & concise way. Continue reading “The Most Potent One-Sentence Gospel Message”
Meditations on the sovereign God 001
Oaths 2 – Early American Oaths
Early American Oaths
Oaths, lack of respect for them, and failure to understand their importance point toward our country’s problems and perhaps their solution. But first, who is the sovereign of this United States? I don’t mean in the absolute biblical sense; that’s clearly God. I mean in the publicly acknowledged by the people sense and as evidenced by our founding documents.
First question: Does God care? If He rules the world and if He cares about the world that He created, then yes is the obvious answer. He cares about the type of government you erect over your society. He showed that when He lead the Israelites out of Egypt and went about assisting Moses in setting up . . . what? Continue reading “Oaths 2 – Early American Oaths”
There Was Never a Covenant of Works Instituted by the Gracious God
There Was Never a Covenant of Works Between God and Man
God did not require Adam to perform any good works prior to creating him. Seems obvious, doesn’t it? So the original gift of life was based on grace. Then why do theologians say that the original covenant between Adam and Eve and God was a “covenant of works?”
The reformed faith teaches that even in the Old Testament, among His people Israel, God did not save any individual based on works. It was always by grace, specifically by faith in a savior to come. It has always troubled me that the Reformed faith is consistent regarding salvation by grace throughout history until it gets to the Garden of Eden before the Fall. If God is a God who never changes, how could he impose a covenant of works at one point in history but a covenant of grace at another?
Continue reading “There Was Never a Covenant of Works Instituted by the Gracious God”
Thor
Thor
The movie, Thor, is, of course, Marvel Comics’ version of the mythological character from Norse mythology. But there are a couple of important points made in the movie. The character Thor represents several different biblical principles.
Like humanity rejected from the Garden, he doesn’t obey his father (Gen. 3:12), he’s ejected from Paradise & kingship (Gen. 3:22-4), & he faces humiliation & capture by mankind (Matt. 26:57-27:14).