“We are justified by faith alone, as the Reformers taught, but not by a faith that is alone. To truly receive the words of God is to intentionally, through a joyous faith in our crucified and resurrected Lord and active reliance upon His Spirit, obey them. Consider that if exposure to God’s word in the spoken gospel and the written Scriptures doesn’t soon change your behavior (even if slower than you might hope), if the transformation of your inner person does not extend to your outer life, you may well be wandering in the dream of those who never knew […]

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: ‘But the righteous one will live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17 Scripture is not merely the words of men but are as the apostle Peter has stated; “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:21). The supernatural truth […]

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24 The context of our Lord’s words to follow Him required a willingness to endure great hardship. They are given in a context where He had explained how He would suffer and be killed, but would be raised on the third day. Peter did not accept Christ’s words, but had foolishly rebuked and contradicted the Lord for saying such, and Christ had accused Peter of being influenced by Satan. It is in this context of […]

“Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you” John 15:13-14 This passage is among the most wonderful in Scripture. What is the context of the words spoken? It is found in the last words of our Lord before going to the cross. He is foretelling what He is about to do and why He will do it. He is addressing the infinite depth of His love for His disciples and by extension for us who will come to believe […]