Is there anything wrong with saying that Jesus offers the gift of salvation? What about saying that Jesus is the means by which we are saved? Or what about saying simply that Jesus saves?
Four Weeks on the Trinity
There is an upcoming opportunity for you to take part in a class taught by me (Kevin Davis) on the doctrine of the Trinity. This class will begin on Sunday, January 21 and run four straight weeks, ending on Sunday, February 11. All classes will take place at Living Waters Church in the gymnasium and will go from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. If you are reading this and think a class on the Trinity sounds interesting
Reformed to Read the Bible
500 Years Ago…
Last Tuesday, October 31, marked the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Specifically, it marked the day in which the Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, posted his 95 Theses against the selling of indulgences to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
The Fruit of Hard Hearts
“The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.” (Mark 3:6, ESV)
There is a point in Mark’s gospel, in chapter 3, where Jesus has a confrontation with the Pharisees over whether or not he should heal a man with a withered hand. Mark writes that, as Jesus entered the synagogue, the Pharisees watched him to see whether or not he would heal the man on the Sabbath (3:2). Notice Mark does not write that the Pharisees watched to see if the work of God might be on display through the healing of this man. They were not interested in seeing God at work; they were interested in keeping control.
The Heart of Paul on Display
“And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:22-24)
Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to Jerusalem.
The Deity of Jesus (Part 1)
ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SIN
“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” (Mark 2:5-7, ESV)
Imagine a scenario for a moment: A small group of people break into your house while you are away and steal whatever it is that they want.
Four Implications of the Resurrection
“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6)
Tomorrow is the day in which large numbers of Christians around the world celebrate the crucified Son of God being raised from the dead. The implications of the resurrection are countless and could be thought on for the rest our lives with no fear of coming to the end of what the resurrection of Jesus meant and means.
Understanding Different Types of Bible Translations
The study of Bible translations is helpful mainly because it provides a good base for understanding why the Bible you use reads like it does. Through experience we know the New International Version (NIV) does not read like the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB) does not read like the King James Version (KJV) and yet they are all the word of God.
Beloved, You Must Be Born Again
“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3, ESV)
John 3:3 is the verse that George Whitefield most often preached from during his life. When asked why he always preached that people had to be born again, he responded saying, “Because, you must be born again.”
Here in John 3 we are introduced to Nicodemus.
Knowing Jesus - Seven Signs (Sign 4)
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31)
In the 20th chapter of John’s gospel, the Apostle gives us the reason for why he wrote. John writes that Jesus performed many other signs while he was here. He even goes so far at the end of the gospel to say that had every one of the things that Jesus did been written down, the world would not have enough room to contain all of the books that were written.