Are we saved initially by God’s grace and then sustained spiritually by our good works? What is the role of God’s grace in our salvation? What are the “acts” dependent on us to be saved? Is anything dependent on us so that we can inherit salvation? Listen to learn more on how a man is saved unto eternal life.
In Christianity, for a person to grow in godliness, he doesn’t need an instruction manual. What He needs to do is to behold and embrace Christ’s love for himself daily, and that inevitably starts maturing him. It is to grow in his understanding of God’s love for himself that begins to change the heart and causes him to have basic Christian virtues.
God promised Abraham of the inheritance he is going to receive. God promised Israel of the inheritance of the promised land that they are going to receive. God has always promised an inheritance to His people in the Bible, as a way of His loving assurance. All of His promises of inheritance are realized in Jesus Christ, and this itself is worth pondering over, for our entire life.
The author in Ephesians talks about “Spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” in Eph 1:3, that Christians receive when they believe in Christ. But what does “Spiritual blessing” entail for us in Christian life, while on earth? Listen to the sermon to learn more on the salvation blessings we have as a result of Christ redeeming us.
The Bible constantly reminds its readers to beware of false prophets and false teachers. But it also reminds of false conversions or people who profess faith in Christ, but from the inside they are not genuine Christians. In this passage, we learn how to identify a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
In the Bible, prophets, priests and kings have always been imperfect saviors of their own flock. Their leadership was always lacking, and the failures always pointed for a need of having a better savior. OT has always pointed to that One Perfect Savior i.e the Lord Jesus Christ. In this passage, we see how Christ fulfills the need for a better Savior and protector of His people.
God’s dealing with His people has always been through covenants. The Bible is predominantly divided into two covenants. Old and the New Covenant. In this passage we learn the spiritual benefits of the new covenant in the light of the old covenant.
“Not only does the Lord through forgiveness of sins receive and adopt us once for all into the church, but through the same means he preserves and protects us there. For what would be the point of providing a pardon for us that was destined to be of no use? . . . We must firmly believe that by God’s generosity, mediated by Christ’s merit, through the sanctification of the Spirit, sins have been and are daily pardoned to us who have been received and engrafted into the body of the church.”
These are the words by John Calvin, a much needed reminder on God’s protection over His bride, the Church.
What is the solution for two parties to no longer be in enmity with each other? The only possible solution is to reconcile. But reconciliation is often initiated by first person toward another and is more inclined to settle the matter at personal cost. In this passage, we see God taking such posture of reconciliation toward mankind, even to the point of sacrificing His own Son, Jesus Christ. He ordains His Son to die on the cross on behalf of sinners, so that they would be reconciled to Himself. Reconciliation is made possible only through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.
How do you view your relationship with Christ? Do you relate yourself to Him as a sinner or as a saint? If you relate to Him as a sinner then you’re unlikely to experience the joy of forgiveness: justification, adoption (into God’s family), and the certainty of eternal life. However, relating to Christ now as a new creation (saint) also does not negate the fact that you’re a sinner. In this passage, we learn what kind of identity we are given in Christ and the implications of that in our daily lives.