Head-dibs

"But believe it or not, Christianity is not about good people getting better. It is, rather, good news for bad people coping with their failure to be good. The message of the Christian faith is that because Jesus was strong for us we are free to be weak. The gospel of grace, in other words, frees us to let people see us at our worst so that they can see God at his most gracious best." (Tullian Tchividjian)

The Land of Freedom One of the great blessings we enjoy in the United States of America is freedom. We all have the freedom to live our own life, choose our own path, and use our abilities for our own gain as well as for the good of others. We have the freedom to choose our leaders and the freedom to worship God without fear of interference from the government. Freedom’s Cost All of these freedoms are great blessings, but they were not won without a cost. Our forefathers took a stand for these freedoms and defended them, whatever the price. Since then, countless brave men and women have stood up to protect this great country, to secure its freedoms, and to promote the cause of freedom around the world. Many of them have paid the ultimate price, and we honor their sacrifice. A Greater Freedom There is an even greater freedom which can be possessed and enjoyed by every person on the face of the earth, regardless of their social standing or nationality. This is freedom from ...

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Proof of the deity of Christ. "Jesus Christ ... declared to be the Son of God with power ... by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3-4). An integral part of the gospel. " The gospel ... how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures " (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The seal of the finished work of Christ. " When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high " (Hebrews 1:3). Essential for salvation. " If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins " (1 Corinthians 15:17). " That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved " (Romans 10:9). Evidence of the believer's justification. " Jesus our Lord ... was delivered for our offenses, and was raised ...

Like a string of firecrackers on the Fourth of July, the Gospel of Mark strings together very a concise and very explosive account of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel opens with quite a pop: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1) When Mark was inspired to write this gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ had already been crucified, resurrected and ascended back into heaven. Reading through the book of Acts one is able to grasp what the world was like as the news of Jesus and His followers spread. Today there are many ideas about who Jesus is and what He did and the same was true in the ancient world. Mark wants his readers to know unmistakably who Jesus is, and this is what he means by “the beginning of the gospel.” The way  “gospel” is used today is not the same as in the ancient world. Presently, we underscore the trustworthiness of a testimony as “the gospel truth.” We describe the integrity of a friend as “gospel.” Ma...

Many of the characters in Lewis Carroll’s stories were suggested by the illustrated tiles that decorated the fireplace in his study at Christ Church, Oxford. Springs in the Dead Sea ! " German group pinpoints new types of microorganisms growing in fissures on the saline seafloor near the springs, university announces." Thabiti Anyabwile comments on Multi-site churches . My two cents: nice idea, but then so was New Coke. Galatians, Gospel Indicatives and Gospel Imperatives . A sermon of 42 points. The Gospel according to Jonah . Clear hints of the gospel in unexpected places. How to Keep a Long Commute from Wrecking Your Healthy Habits .

"Mythology exists to show the wickedness of men through the depravity of their gods, whose deeds are so repulsive that man abandon them.  The Bible records the depravity of men against a righteous God, who alone can save them." (Kenneth Prior, " The Gospel in a Pagan Society ")

I don't know what book or books you are reading right now and at this point, I really don't care.  Put it down.  Put them all down and pick this one up , open it, read it.  I triple-dog-dare you (that's right, I'm skipping the "triple dare," and am going straight for the throat)! Buy it. Borrow it. Don't steal it (stealing is sin).  Check it out from the library (and if they don't have it, get it by Inter-library loan).  Buy a case, give them away.  Wish-list it.  Trade for it.  Have someone read it to you.  Read it over someone's shoulder (ask, first.  Have some couth). Read it out loud in Sunday School. Get it in large print. Get it in Braille. Get someone to translate it for you. It will wreck your life.

Here's one for Harlan: "Leave It To Beaver" meets Film Noir . You read that right, buddy, so enjoy! At the Council of Trent in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church placed its eternal and irrevocable curse on the Gospel, announcing it as actually heretical. Hasn't Rome since modified its position ? Greg Koukl writes, "Many critics of Christianity pose counterarguments and reubuttals of our claims. But some merely pose questions to sow seeds of doubt and think they've done enough to dismiss Christianity. Doubts and questions do not constitute counter-evidence." Skepticism needs evidence, too! Scientists find world's sixth largest river - at the bottom of Black Sea .

Since one blogger already asked the question, I will merely catalogue a few responses received to the question, “ What is the gospel ?” "The gospel is the good news (not good advice) of the announced end of the age of decay accomplished in the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and inaugurated in his resurrection into creation 2.0;" "It meant the announcement of a new King and a new Kingdom;" "The kingdom of God is among you;" "God's grace can prevail over my depravity;" "The good news. The kingdom is here. Is coming. Has arrived;" "The Gospel is John 3:16 followed by carrying out the 2 greatest commandments- Love God, love your neighbor as yourself;" "Son of God comes to earth, saves mankind, sparks religious unrest for next millennium;" "The Gospel is the announcement that, in Jesus, God is setting in motion a revolution to begin to make things as they will one day be;" "I don't know...

Quite unintentionally my readings the past few months have been in more ancient English works and many of those works I have reflected on here. While most have been poetic works from the Renaissance period, one particular historical narrative caught my eye. I will not spend too much time on it, but the overall thrust is quite exhilarating and makes a significant contribution to the ongoing conversation regarding the Biblical worldview. The Venerable Bede (673 – 735) was a Christian monk who earned the posthumous title, “Father of English History.” He was a biblical scholar, translator, and poet who composed (mostly for the purpose of correcting error and debunking myth) the earliest history of England in the five-volumes of the "Ecclesiastical History of the English People." The brief section I would like to highlight here is often referred to as, “ The Conversion of Northumbria ,” or “The Conversion of King Edwin.” England was a missionary frontier after the Roman occupation...

To say, "I have not sinned" is to make God a liar ( 1 John 1:10 ); To say, "I must sin," is to deny the gospel ( Jude 24 ; Galatians 2:20 ); To say, "I must not sin," is to conform to the gospel ( Colossians 3:17 ); To say, "I need not sin," is to state my priviledge ( Ephesians 1:4 ); To say, "By the grace of God I will not sin," is to live the gospel ( Galatians 5:25 ).

Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel -- And Why So Many Christians Think It Is Shared via AddThis

Cher ami, j’aimerais vous poser une question, en fait, la plus importante de votre vie. Votre bonheur ou votre perte, pour toute l’éternité, dépend de votre réponse. Voici la question: “Etes-vous sauvé ? Etes-vous sûr d’aller au ciel à votre mort?” Je ne vous demande pas si vous êtes membre d’église, mais si vous êtes sauvé. Il ne s’agit pas non plus de savoir si vous êtes bon, mais si vous êtes sauvé. En effet, personne ne peut obtenir les bénédictions de Dieu ou même aller au ciel sans être préalablement sauvé. Jésus a dit à Nicodème dans l’évangile selon Jean, au chapitre 3 et au verset 7 : “ Il faut que vous naissiez de nouveau ”. Dieu nous donne dans sa parole, la Bible, le SEUL plan de salut qui ait jamais existé; ce plan est simple et vous pouvez être sauvé dès aujourd’hui. Le Simple Plan de Salut de Dieu

My Vriend,ek vra u die belangrikstevraag van die lewe. U vreugde of u verdriet, vir alle EWIGHEID hang daarvan af. Die vraag is: IS U GERED? Die vraag is nie of u ’n lid van een of ander Kerk is nie, maar: IS U GERED? Dit is nie ’n kwessie van hoe goed u is nie, Maar: IS U GERED? Niemand kan die seën van God geniet, of Hemel toe gaan, sonder om gered te wees nie – Jesus het vir Nikodemus gesê in Johannes 3:7;,,Moenie jou verwonder dat ek vir jou gesê het, JULLE MOET WEER GEBORE WORD NIE.”God gee aan ons in Sy Heilige Woord die ENIGSTE plan vir saligheid. Die plan is eenvoudig, u kan VANDAG gered word. God Se Eenvoudige Saligheidsplan Follow this link for an English translation.

Min venn, jeg stiller deg livets viktigste spørsmål. Din glede eller sorg for all evighet avhenger av ditt svar. Spørsmålet er: Er du frelst? Det er ikke et spørsmål om hvor god du er, heller ikke om du er medlem av en Kirke, men er du frelst? Er du sikker på at du vil komme til Himmelen når du dør? Gud sier at for å komme til Himmelen, må du bli født på ny. Jesus sa til Nikodemus : "Dere må fødes påny." (Joh. 3:7). I Bibelen gir Gud oss sin plan om hvordan en kan bli født på ny som betyr å bli frelst. Hans plan er enkel! Du kan bli frelst i dag. Hvordan? GUDS ENKLE FRELSESPLAN Follow this link for an English translation.

하나님은 당신을 사랑하시며, 당신을 위한 놀라운 계획을 가지고 계십니다하나님의 사랑 "하나님이 세상을 이처럼 사랑하사 독생자(예수 그리스도)를 주셨으니 이는 저를 믿는 자마다 멸망치 않고 영생을 얻게 하려 하심이니라"고 했습니다. (요한복음 3장 16절) 하나님의 계획 예수 그리스도께서 말씀하시기를 "내가 온 것은 양(당신)으로 생명을 얻게 하고 더 풍성히 얻게 하려는 것이다"고 하셨습니다. (요한복음 10장 10절) 그런데, 왜 많은 사람들이 이 풍성한 삶을 누리지 못하고 있을까요? 그 이유는...

Mój przyjacielu: Pragnę zadać Ci najważniejsze pytanie życia. Twoje wieczne szczęście lub wieczne nieszczęście zależą od tego, jak na nie odpowiesz. Oto to pytanie: Czy jesteś zbawiony? Nie pytam Cię, jak dobry jesteś, ani czy uczęszczasz do kościoła, ale: czy jesteś zbawiony? Czy jesteś pewien, że pójdziesz do Nieba, kiedy umrzesz? Follow this link for an English translation.

“As increasing emphasis came to be placed on the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man as the essential elements in Christianity, so there was a growing neglect of the doctrinal emphasis of the New Testament upon the atoning nature of the death of Christ . . . . It is not therefore surprising that the steady decline during the last fifty years of vital evangelical preaching based on the exegesis of Scripture (where it has not been due to a false sacramentalism which tends to divorce the sacraments from the gospel) can largely be traced to lack of first-hand study of the text of Scripture (coupled often with a second-hand knowledge of critical theories) and to the failure to see the centrality of the New Testament teaching about Christ’s atoning death . . . If the Christian religion is not what the New Testament presents it as being, a religion of redemption, then it is of little consequence: for nothing less than this has power to remove the guilt of the sin-laden conscience. . ...

"The contemporary church has the idea that salvation is only the granting of eternal life, not necessarily the liberation of a sinner from the bondage of his iniquity. We tell people that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives, but that is only half the truth. God also hates sin and will punish unrepentant sinners with eternal torment. No gospel presentation is complete if it avoids or conceals those facts. Any message that fails to define and confront the severity of personal sin is a deficient gospel. And any 'salvation' that does not alter a lifestyle of sin and transform the heart of the sinner is not the salvation God's Word speaks of." MacArthur, John. "He Recieves Sinners But Refuses The Righteous." The Gospel According To Jesus . Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2008. p. 73-74