Category: Salvation

The transfiguration of Christ before Peter, James, and John is a significant event in His life and ministry. It is related by Matthew (17), Mark (9), and Luke (9). Peter mention it as well during his second letter (1:16-18).

In relating the experience, Matthew notes that Jesus in the transfiguration had a face that shined like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. Moses and Elijah appeared before the apostles, and talked with Jesus. Peter marveled at the site, and proposed to erect three tabernacles, one for each individual. Though an understandable reaction, this was not what God wanted at all. Jesus was transfigured, and Moses and Elijah appeared, to exclusively magnify Jesus as the Son of God. When Peter made his suggestion, God took Moses and Elijah away, leaving Jesus alone. He said from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him!” (17:5). Continue reading “A Lesson from the Transfiguration” →

An examination of Romans 10, where Paul establishes clearly the limitations of justification by the Old Law of Moses, as contrasted with salvation through faith in Christ. 

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Having established that Jesus’ one offering of Himself brought our sanctification, the writer supplies the witness to this truth from the Holy Spirit. He has reference to a passage from Jeremiah 31:33-34.

Two points are made from the Holy Spirit’s testimony. First, this new covenant the Hebrew writer has been affirming supplants the old is one prophesied from old. The basis for standing under this new covenant is faith in Christ. “I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.”

Second, the true sanctification to which the Hebrew writer refers in verses 11-14 is fully accomplished in the sacrifice of Jesus. The Lord’s word’s through Jeremiah, “Their sins and the lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Under the old covenant there was a reminder of sins on each Day of Atonement, every year. With Christ’s sacrifice there is no longer that requirement.

Why? Because of Jesus’ sacrifice there was true remission! Since that happened, the final sacrifice for sin has been achieved.

There is a wonderful passage of scripture in 2 Samuel 22 where David thanks and praises God for his deliverance. David had been through so many trials in his time after being anointed by Samuel to be king. He had to hide from the murderous intent of Saul. He had suffered the great indignity of his son Absalom committing treason, very nearly taking his kingdom away from him. He had battled enemies of Israel throughout his reign. In verse one we are told, “Then David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.” Continue reading “I Will Call Upon the Lord” →

Using the book of Ecclesiastes as a starting point for the discussion, we distinguish between what the world considers as needs, and what are the true spiritual needs that are needed by all men.

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An analysis of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s well, recorded in John 4.  (Note: The video camera failed in the last couple of minutes of the sermon).

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God chose to save the world through the gospel, the truth concerning the advent, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father reigning on His throne.  When we hear that gospel, our actions or lack thereof will determine whether we are saved . What must we do?

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Note:  PPTX presentation and verses supplied by Emberly Cox, age 9.

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After giving specific admonitions first to wives then husbands in 1 Peter 3, Peter continues with more general admonitions which apply to us all: “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9).

These admonitions are summed up on the call of all Christians to love one another. In this both Peter and John are in agreement, “He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:10-11). Continue reading “Inheriting a Blessing” →

The text is one of the most sublime found in all of scripture. It is a part of Paul’s discourse on the redemptive work of God, accomplished in His Son Jesus, Paul concludes by considering the victory we enjoy as a part of our relationship to Him. Consider Paul’s glorious words!

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31-39). Continue reading “Our Victory in Jesus!” →

An examination of 3 passages where the phrase “stand still” is used, indicating the importance of contemplating God’s plan for redeeming man, His preeminence, and our obligations to ensure our standing with Him.

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LAGNIAPPE. Don’t try to pronounce the word phonetically.  The correct pronunciation is: (LAN-yap).  It is  defined as “a little something extra,” and is originally taken from the Spanish (la ñapa) “the gift.” Long ago it became a common word in the French/Creole culture in Louisiana. If you have been to New Orleans during their celebrations, you may have heard the term.

Consider what Jesus said in Luke 18 in response to Peter’s declaration that they had left all to follow Him.  “So He said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life’” (Luke 18:29-30). Continue reading “Lagniappe” →

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

The Word references the Son of God. One of three in the beginning, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. John here affirms the place God’s Son had in creation. As He and the Father are One, God’s Son can truly and fully be referred to as the Creator of all things. He is described as “the light of men” (5).

After the first 5 verses, there is an ellipsis dealing the John the Baptist. John was the one who came to “bear witness of the Light” (6). Notice the word “Light” here is capitalized, emphasizing our point that the “light” is another designation for the “Word”, signifying God’s Son. Hence the capitalized word indicating deity. John the Baptist is not God’s Son. He is the forerunner of the “Light.” “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.’ ” (Matthew 3:1-3). Continue reading “The Incarnate Word” →