Christ In Scripture
Spreading the fame of Christ among those who don’t know him and making him more honored and adored among those who do.
KNOWING CHRIST
attributes & incarnation
SALVATION IN CHRIST
the gospel
LEARNING FROM CHRIST
understanding the Bible
In Romans chapter 12, the apostle Paul exhorts believers in Christ to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to God. What did he mean by this and how do we follow it?
Many people of ancient Israel believed that keeping the ceremonial laws of Moses was the highest expression of their love for God. But Jesus taught his disciples that to God there are more important things than ceremonies and temple sacrifices: to keep short accounts and "settle matters quickly" with both the people in our lives and with God.
Before Jesus was arrested and executed, he spent his last evening teaching and encouraging his disciples. And on this night before he left them, he wanted them to learn an important lesson. So, he washes their feet. What was the lesson he was teaching by this?
Most of us know what patience is, even though we might not have much of it ourselves. We all really appreciate it when someone is patient with us. But for some reason we have a hard time remembering to be patient with others. Who is someone we can hold up as the supreme example of patience? Our Creator of course.
To some people, the teachings of Jesus and those of the apostle Paul don’t always agree. Critics of the Bible and of the Christian faith like to point out what they see as glaring differences. Even solid believers are known to gravitate toward the teachings of either Jesus or Paul. But are Jesus and Paul really at odds? Is there a conflict between the two?
The apostle Paul’s sermon to the Athenians stands out as one of the great sermons in Scripture. Once a Pharisee, Paul now found himself preaching about the Savior to arrogant philosophers, idolaters, and the sexually immoral. These were people, who in his earlier life, he would have despised. But now he boldly reached out to them with the love and mercy of God.
The gospel is the good news to the condemned and sinful. Those who believe it are acquitted of their guilt before God and set free! But how can God set free those who are clearly guilty of sin? There must be a fair and just basis for the acquittal. We learn the answer from the gospel story itself—that Jesus Christ was our substitute.
Jesus once told a parable about two men who were at the temple praying. At the end of his story, one man went away justified, while the other did not. What does it mean to be justified by God? Though the meaning is profound, it's actually quite understandable: getting right with God.
Many people wonder: Is God kind and compassionate, or angry and accusing? We all would like to think he is loving because we hear that he is. But does he really love us, or is this just an advertisement to get people to join a religion or a church? How do we really know? We know by looking at Jesus Christ, the One who is God in the flesh, and by Christ's compassion for all he met.
Teachings and Resources for Those Seeking God
“Those who come to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.” …(Hebrews 11:6)