Category Archives: Sin

Meet the citizens of heaven

Posted on March 13, 2018 by

It might surprise some to meet the true citizens of heaven. Many religious leaders “shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces” (Matthew 23:13). Jesus said of them,  “You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. ….You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are” (Matthew 23:14-15). Jesus said to these religious leaders, “religious leaders “shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces” (Matthew 23:13). Jesus said,  “You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. …Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31). Continue reading →

Posted in Afraid to die, Afterlife, Assurance, Atheism, Atheists, Belief, Blessed by God, Born again?, Christian worldview, Christianity, Cliches, Comfort, Cross of Christ, Cross of Jesus, Crucifixion, Death of Christ, Depravity, Disciple-making, Elentics, Eternal life, Eternal security, Evangelism, Faith, Fear of death, God's Heart, God's Love, Godly sorrow, Gospel, Gospel-centered, Grace, Greatness, Heaven, Human depravity, Humility, Jesus Christ, Justification, Legalism, Main problem, Matthew 7:1-6, Meekness, New Creation, Pharisees, Poor in spirit, Proud, Reconciliation, Regeneration, Religion, Religion-not the answer, Repentance, Salvation, Searching, Security of salvation, Seeker Services, Seeking God, Selfishness, Sin, Spiritual inventory, Teaching of Jesus, The cross of Christ, Unbelief, Walking with God, Witness, Worldly sorrow | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Every Jekyll has his Hyde

Posted on February 3, 2018 by

Humans are beings of dignity (made in the image of the good Creator) and beings of depravity (fallen from that image). This explains a lot about the world and our daily struggles.  Continue reading →

Posted in Human depravity, Human dignity, Humanism, John R. W. Stott, John Stott, Salvation, Sin, Truth, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A deeper look at the human need for change

Posted on March 22, 2017 by

Politics, culture and the role of law are agents of change that seem essential to our existence. These means offer limited solutions to some of our problems and offer the potential to promote human flourishing. But we have a deeper need that cannot be addressed through these agents of change.
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Posted in Addiction, Anthropology, Atheism, Behavior, Change, Character, Christian life, Christian worldview, Church and State, Common grace, Counseling, Earth, Evil in the world, God's Love, God's power, Gospel, Government, Guidelines for living, Hope?, Human depravity, Human dignity, Main problem, Politics, Regeneration, Salvation, Sin, Spiritual growth, Spiritual transformation, Worldview | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A danger to ourselves

Posted on March 6, 2016 by

Our demand for freedom without limits has contributed to profound short-term thinking and devolved into forms of self-serving individualism that threaten the stability and future of our communities and, perhaps even, our nation itself.
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Posted in Accountability, Anthropology, Apologetics, Atheism, Atheists, Christian worldview, Evil in the world, Freedom, Human depravity, Human dignity, Humanism, Origin of Sin, Sin, Social work, sociology, Wisdom, Worldview | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Troubled dust, but dust that dreams

Posted on August 23, 2014 by

Rest securely and confidently in what God has done for you in Christ! And remind yourself often that…. Continue reading →

Posted in Agnostic, Atheism, Atheists, Death of Christ, Depravity, Depression, Despair, Easter, Eternal life, Eternal security, Evil in the world, Fear of death, God's Love, Gospel, Gospel-centered, Grace, Grieving, Heaven, Hope?, Human depravity, Human dignity, Humanism, In Christ, Jesus Christ, Loss, Meaning of life, Problem of evil, Promises of Bible, purpose, Religion-not the answer, Resurrection, Salvation, Sin, Suffering, The cross of Christ | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Therapeutic vs. True Gospel

Posted on June 5, 2014 by

Jesus Christ died for my sin and the most vivid expression of my sin is my willful self-preoccupation. A gospel message that invites me to stay at the center is not the true gospel. Listen closely to the emphasis when you hear someone invite people to follow Jesus. Continue reading →

Posted in Belief, Christian worldview, Christianity, Church Leadership, Church Planting, Confession, Depravity, Disciple-making, Doctrine, Evangelicals, Evangelism, Evil in the world, Faith, God's Love, Gospel, Gospel-centered, Hamartiology, Kingdom, Poor in spirit, Pride, Reconciliation, Religion-not the answer, Repentance, Salvation, Seeker Services, Seeking God, Self esteem, Self love, Self-deception, Selfishness, Sin | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Confused about God in a world of suffering

Posted on April 22, 2014 by

In our efforts to understand how God relates to the evil actions of humans (or even to His own acts of judgment), we must make some important distinctions concerning God’s will. Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Assurance, Atheism, Atheists, Bitterness, Christian worldview, Comfort, D. A. Carson, Depravity, Despair, Doctrine, Doubt, Evil in the world, God, God's Patience, God's control, God's Heart, God's power, God's Protection, God's Will, Hope?, Jesus Christ, Justice, Origin of Sin, Pain, Problem of evil, Salvation, Seeking God, Sin, Sovereignty, Suffering, Theodicy, Theology, Will of God | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment