Right from the very outset of Jesus’ ministry, it was made clear that there is a difference between baptism for repentance and baptism with the Holy Spirit. In each of the four Gospels, John the Baptist clearly distinguished the two: Matt. 3:11 I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because [...]
God did not send His Holy Spirit as a one time “charm” to bless 120 people in an upper room in Jerusalem. God is not a nut job. He’s the real deal. His plan, after Adam’s treason in the Garden, was to re-establish His relationship with humanity in a more powerful way than it was [...]
We are going to recover some ground already discussed, but which needs re-discussing in light of God’s desire for us to live more fully in His will. 2011 is the year when we are to dive in and begin doing, living the Truth, not merely studying it. This is God’s direct communiqué to us. He [...]
We all understand that Jesus is a unique individual. But sometimes, I wonder if we really understand how truly unique He is. Humanity had a serious problem. Adam had sold his inheritance for a bite of food. He believed Satan’s lies rather than God’s truth, and as a consequence he subjugated all peoples to salvehood [...]
The Israelites had come out of Egypt and were now in the plains of Moab on the east side of the Jordan River near Jericho. The king of Moab, Balak, got just a bit nervous, because the “people covered the face of the earth,” and had arrived there after destroying all the people of Bashar [...]
As we noted in the last lesson, the Law was given to make people aware of sin, not as a mechanism to bring salvation. For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is [...]
Those in Christ are no longer under the Law (Rom. 6:14). Now what the heck does that exactly mean? In the NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible (J. D. Douglas and Merril C. Tenney, Zondervan Publishing House) the Law is defined as God’s laws are an expression of his holy character and sovereign will. Through [...]
Salvation is a making complete, making whole, in Christ Jesus. God does not restore us from our old human nature and put His very life in us so that we can run off and do whatever we want in our own way. Why would God restore us and then desire that we do things the [...]
It is critically important that every Christian remember that Jesus bought us back with His own life, and that we are now a part of Him. Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from [...]
He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who [...]