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Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

God is the King of ages past. He ruled over the deeps when they were formless and void. He governed the galaxies when they were brought into being. He was King over the dinosaurs when they walked the earth. He was God and King to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Moses and all the prophets. He was the King of all the kings of Israel. God is also the King of the present age, which commenced with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God is sovereign over the church in this gospel age. He rules over the worldwide expansion of his kingdom, right up to the present moment.

#1Timothy

Mercy for the Worst of Sinners

Christianity is the only religion in the world that is for bad people. In one way or another, every other religion says people can become good enough for God. But what if we are not good enough? What then? What if we really are the worst of sinners? Then Christianity is the only religion that offers real hope. If we are wretched sinners, then Christianity is our only option. Jesus Christ is the only one who can or will save us, because he came into the world to save sinners.

#1Timothy

A True Son in the Faith

In the end, every false theology is murderous to the soul. Teaching heterodoxy is perhaps the most unloving thing a person can do. Is any sin greater than the murder of a soul? Only true doctrine teaches people how to love God and others. True doctrine fosters the love that comes from a pure heart.

#1Timothy

The Old Cursed Cross

Faith and works operate according to different principles. They are two entirely different ways to live: by believing and by doing. If we live by faith, we trust God to justify us through Jesus Christ. On the other hand, if we live by works, we count on our own contribution to make us fully acceptable to God. But we cannot have it both ways. Believing and doing are mutually exclusive. Either we trust God to justify us through faith or we try to justify ourselves by works.

#Galatians

Father Abraham Has Many Sons

God will accept us only on the same basis he accepted Abraham. Like father, like son. If Abraham was justified by faith, then his children have to be justified by faith too. Therefore we will never become children of God by what we do, but only by what we believe. What, then, must we believe? Notice the object of Abraham's faith: he put his trust in God, and this was credited to him as righteousness. What Abraham believed was not simply God's promises, which he could hardly believe, but God himself.

#Galatians

A House Divided

Understand what is at stake in the decision we make for or against Jesus Christ. To serve God's true and eternal King is to enter the way to everlasting life. Through faith in Christ, we will enter paradise. But to reject the kingship of Christ is to fall under the judgment of God. If we go our own way in life—if we insist on having the upper hand over other people, refusing to give up our foolish and selfish pleasures, always breaking God's commandments and never submitting to his will for our lives—then we will never enter the kingdom of God. Unless we repent, we will be lost forever.

#1kings

Two Nations, under God

If God was still at work in the last days of King Solomon, even after his tragic downfall, he is still at work in our own lives as well. Sooner or later, people will disappoint us, including some of the people we count on the most in life. God will keep his promises to us. At times we may feel that the church is weak, or think that we are outnumbered, or worry that we are accomplishing little in the world. But God is still faithful to his promises. He will provide for our needs; he will forgive our sins; he will deliver us from danger; and when our work on earth is done, he will bring us home safe to God.

#1kings

Unafraid and Unashamed

True spiritual courage comes from freely confessing our sins, fearing God more than we fear other people, trusting the watchful care of the Father, knowing that Jesus will defend us at the final judgment, and depending on the help of the Holy Spirit.

#luke

The Blood of the Prophets

The sufferings of all the prophets would culminate in the death of Jesus Christ. His crucifixion would be the nadir of their persecution. Jesus of Nazareth was the greatest of all the prophets and the clearest revelation of the gospel. As the Son of God, he was the Word of God. In his public ministry he proclaimed the true gospel message of repentance and faith.

#luke

When Your Soul Is an Unmarked Grave

Can you see how deadly your own hypocrisy is? Trying to be one thing on the outside when you are another thing on the inside; focusing on the little things but missing the big things; craving more recognition—these things are spiritually deadly, not just to you, but also to others. Even if nobody knows it, the corpse inside is corrupting your family, your friends, and your church.

#luke

By Faith Alone

From start to finish, the whole Christian life is by grace through faith. A new life in Christ commences with faith, continues by faith, and will be completed through faith. The gospel is for Christians just as much as it is for non-Christians. We never advance beyond the good news of the cross and the empty tomb.

#Galatians

Dying to Live

The surprising truth that the Christian has been crucified in Christ rest on the most magnificent of all doctrines: union with Christ. The way anyone becomes united to Christ is by faith. The reason union with Christ is such a magnificent doctrine is that once we get into Christ by faith, then everything Christ has ever done becomes something we have done. It is as if we had lived his perfect life and died his painful death. It is as if we were buried in his tomb and then raised up to his glorious heaven.

#Galatians

The Battle for the Gospel

Justifying faith is a personal faith. Justification by faith is not simply a general principle about the way of salvation; it is a call to make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. The question is: Have you renounced all of your own efforts to save yourself, asking instead for God to save you through Jesus Christ?

#Galatians

Gospel Freedom Fighter

Christians are always trying to add something to the gospel. They elevate some aspect of Christianity to a place of supreme importance, so that the good news becomes faith in Christ plus something else. Usually what gets added to the gospel is something good in itself. . . . But for the gospel to be the gospel, it has to stand alone.

#Galatians

The Origin of Paul's Religion

God has changed us. First, he called us by his grace. Someone told us that there was a way to have a friendship with God. Next, God revealed to us his Son. He showed us the gospel of the cross and the empty tomb. We saw that our sins could be forgiven through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then he set us apart for his service. We began to love others and to live for God. This is what the gospel. It changes a person's whole life. God can bring the same change to your life. It is very simple: all you need to do is trust in Jesus Christ.

#Galatians

No Other Gospel

The gospel does not tell us what we have to do to please God. Instead, it announces that God is already pleased with us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God is pleased with us as he is with his own Son. This liberates us from seeking the approval of others. At the same time, it frees us from striving for God's favor. We already have the tender affection of his eternal love. What more do we need? Nothing more, which is why the one true gospel is such amazingly good news.

#Galatians

Dear Recovering Pharisee

The cross had been in God's mind from all eternity. Thus it demonstrates the love of God as well as the love of Christ. There could be no conflict within the Trinity, as if a loving Son had to rescue us from an angry Father. On the contrary, the willingness of the Son was in response to the Father's will. The Father does not love us because the Son died for us. Rather, the Son died for us because the Father loves us. The cross had its origin in our Father's heart.

#Galatians

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