Holiness and Victory Over Sin #16

By Karl Kemp

Holy Father, we humble our hearts before you; we want to rightly divide your Word; we want to understand it; we want to live in line with your Word by your sufficient grace. Thank you for full salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray in His mighty name. Amen!

Last time when we stopped we were discussing 1 John 1:8. This is a very important verse. Most Christians, something like 80-90 percent of Christians, believe this verse proves we can never stop sinning in this life. As I have mentioned, I believe they are making a serious mistake. The apostle John wrote 1 John 1:8 against the Gnostic heretics, not against Christians who thought they could have the victory over sin. The Gnostic heretics denied that sin was the problem, and they denied that the blood of Jesus is the answer. They denied they were sinners, and they denied the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m very sure that John was dealing with the Gnostic heretics in 1 John 1:8. (more…)

Discerning Spots and Blemishes

By Kevin Swartzendruber

In my last blog, “Does God Still Give Gifts?” I firmly established that spiritual gifts did not disappear with the passing of the apostles in the first century. In 1 Corinthians 12 the Apostle Paul lists the nine gifts of the Spirit as words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, spiritual discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Each of these gifts was given to the church as tools to bring the body of Christ into perfect unity in the image of the head, Jesus Christ. Without these gifts, it is impossible for the body of Christ to ever fulfill that purpose. Over the last one hundred years, a special grace was poured out on the church bringing her into this truth and causing her to embrace the gifts as a present reality. What was lost through ignorant traditions was restored. (more…)

A steadfast anchor

By Josh Paczok

Many Christians do not understand what the Bible says about the doctrine of eternal security; however the Bible clearly teaches that a Christian cannot lose his salvation. I would like to share three reasons why we as Christians must believe in our own eternal security.  First, Jesus taught that the believer is eternally secure. The apostle Paul also taught that the believer is eternally secure. Thirdly, the writer of Hebrews powerfully argues that the believer is eternally secure.
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Did Luke the Physician Write the Book of Acts?

By Robert Randle

Tradition has it that the author of the gospel of “LUKE” and “ACTS” of the Apostles were written by the same individual, and that is by, Luke the ‘beloved’ Physician. Although it is difficult to prove with absolute certainty, there may have in fact been more than just a single source for the events recorded in the book of ACTS. Almost the entire first half of the book highlights the ministry of the Apostle Peter, and there is no internal or external evidence that Peter and Luke ever knew each other.

Not only that, but the author of ACTS would most likely be acquainted with both Peter and Paul. Some have argued that the Greek text used in the gospel of LUKE and ACTS is more of the classical style and more advanced than some of ‘KOINE’(common Greek) used in other New Testament writings; but considering Paul’s ministry and making converts from Hellenistic Jews among the epicenter of Greek culture in Europe and the civilized world at that time, then it should not come as too much of a surprise. (more…)

Five Fold Ministry and Isaiah 28:23-29

By Cindie York

In Isaiah, the farmer is able through the wisdom of God and His direction to cultivate, plant, reap, etc. The farmers don’t just plow and break up the ground, when the field is ready, they scatter the seeds, they plant in the proper places and they learn this from God. After the harvest, that which they have reaped are prepared (pounded, shaped, formed), which is through the wisdom given by the Lord God. (more…)

Homily, She has always spoken to my heart, Mary Magdalene

By Peter Menkin

She has always spoken to my heart:
Mary Magdalene
A homily,
Peter Menkin, Obl Cam OSB
Church of Our Saviour (Episcopal)
Mill Valley, CA USA
Wednesday Eucharist, July 22, 2009
Lesser Feasts and Fasts, 1994 (more…)

Chuck Swindoll: Reformation Revisionism

In The Grace Awakening, his magnum opus, Dr. Charles R. (Chuck) Swindoll presents himself as fanning the flame of “the torch of freedom” as originally held by protestant Reformers like Martin Luther. In this he convinces his followers that by trusting him and his teaching in The Grace Awakening that they are in line with the historic Reformation teachings of grace and faith alone. Swindoll wrote: (more…)