Last week I shared that even Mary the God-bearer needed a Savior. We all do. But I get it that being called a sinner might not sound very uplifting. It might make you feel doomed. Well, according to the Bible you are doomed without a Savior. You’d be doomed without Christmas, without Jesus coming to rescue us. But because he did, being called a sinner can be comforting. What??? In the words of Martin Luther “When Satan tells me I…
As I am preparing to teach Christian Ethics starting next week, I have been thinking of holiness a lot. We are called to be holy like our God is holy, right? It is a tall order for human beings but there is no way around it. No one is excused from pursuing perfect holiness. The Bible clearly tells us to be holy over and over. My life experience tells me it’s undoable on my own. I need help. Thankfully, God…
Salvation by grace is a phenomenal thing. It changes us if we just want to receive it. But why is it, really, that we so would like to add something to it? It’s hard to think something so great could really be freely given. But if it were not freely given, grace would not be grace anymore. And grace needs to be grace, otherwise, we’re doomed. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of…
I’ve been touched by a gospel story this week. In some ways, it captures what I’ve been trying to learn to convey to you. Grace is sufficient and the only way to heaven. So it’s finally time to stop trying to earn it (or run from it). He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and…
Sometimes we make simple things complicated. Unfortunately, we do that to faith too. And by doing so we create a new religion of works. But salvation is really simple. So simple that even a child can understand. It’s based on the work of Jesus, not ours. Because Jesus died for our sins, we can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus. We just need to believe. And stand by faith. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in…
It’s that time of the year when love is in the air. And that’s all good. But there’s a danger in believing romantic love will make your life fulfilling. We should never put that kind of demand on anybody. Because they can’t deliver. Only God can. And that’s why only divine love is truly fulfilling love. God’s love is special, he loves us at our worst. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,…
Ecclesiastes advises us not to be too righteous (Ecc.7:16). What do you make out of that? Righteousness is a good thing, isn’t it? Of course, it is. Righteousness by God’s grace is the best thing ever. But this verse doesn’t talk about that kind of righteousness but unhealthy kind. Yes, there is such a thing. Self-righteousness is ugly. Be not [morbidly exacting and externally] righteous overmuch, neither strive to make yourself [pretentiously appear] overwise—why should you [get puffed up and] destroy yourself [with presumptuous…
God did not send Jesus to the world so good people could be rewarded. He sent Jesus so everyone – also hopeless has-beens – could be saved by grace. None of us deserves any grace. It is not given for good people but for desperate people in need of salvation who want to receive grace upon grace. First grace to be saved and then grace to do good. Augustinus has said, “For grace is given not because we have done…
Are you struggling with life? Or are you at the end of your rope? I have good news for you. First of all, you are loved. And, second of all, God wants to help you. I know, it is a bit astonishing. But God did not send Jesus to save you and then leave you to manage on your own. The Holy Spirit is here to help us out. We just need to ask for help. This is not an…
Running around and always doing something is not our purpose in life. Our purpose comes from communing with our Maker. And that is not possible if we constantly are stressed out about things and press on fitting more stuff in our already busy lives. We do need to take a pause and do it regularly. Otherwise, we will burn out. Not only physically and mentally but also spiritually. And that’s the opposite of God’s will for our lives. Yet, sadly,…
