Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 129
Scripture Text: 2 Corinthians 5:1-7
We are reborn with a purpose. But let us be clear; the purpose does not precede or cause rebirth. That purpose is the result of our being newly created.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 128
Scripture Text: Romans 8:29-30
What will be the result in the future life for the way we have lived the present life? Left on our own, sin and death are terrifying.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 127
Scripture Text: Hebrews 10:22-25
We should recognize in ourselves that we are disposed to fall back into old ways. But we should also consider that others are just like us.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 126
Scripture Text: Romans 8:12-15
Good works are evidence that a person has been justified. For the Spirit who produces good works only indwells the justified.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 125
Scripture Text: Romans 9:30-32a
Why did the gentiles come to a state of righteousness when the Jews worked hard at it but never arrived? Why did the gentiles attain righteousness when they did not even try?
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 124
Scripture Text: Romans 10:13–17
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Some love to deliberate over such things; these questions wear out other people.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 123
Scripture Text: Ephesians 1:13-14
The difference that precedes salvation is easy to determine. That distinguishing feature is trust in the one who saves.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 122
Scripture Text: Luke 17:7-10
We are indentured servants, slaves to sin and death, and we can never earn our freedom. Either the master sets us free—and death and the devil are not going to do that—or someone pays our debt and sets free.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 121
Scripture Text: James 4:6–10
The old nature believes that if one loves enough, is joyous all the time, at peace, patient and kind toward others, is good, faithful, and self-controlled, that person will have earned God’s grace.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 120
Scripture Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
If a man was swimming in the ocean and began to drown, he would be quite correct to not trust his own efforts to save himself. But he would yell with his last breath to the lifeguard.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 119
Scripture Text: Titus 3:4-7
There is faith and there is the fruit of faith. Faith ought to have results in this life, not just the result of an eternal life to come.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 118
Scripture Text: Psalm 79:8–9
God forgives us for the sake of his name. His reputation is at stake, so he will keep his promise. This is easy to understand.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 117
Scripture Text: John 15:14-17
Behold, what importance some people place in their works. They value deeds so thoroughly that they distort the words of Christ. When he downplays works, they exalt them.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 116
Scripture Text: John 10:7-9
When we think that we have earned God’s mercy and may therefore, demand it, we rob God of the glory that belongs to him alone.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 115
Scripture Text: Daniel 9:15-19
The First Commandment teaches us that God is faithful to deliver his people. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 114
Scripture Text: Luke 11:2–4
Our sin leaves us indebted to God. This is why Jesus tells us to pray, “Forgive us our sins.” Matthew uses the word “debt," making it clear that we owe God for our moral failure.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 113
Scripture Text: Hebrews 10:19–23
Pour some dirt into a cup of water and find out how many people will drink? Just so, we are not palatable; each person is just some good mixed in with the bad.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 112
Scripture Text: Hebrews 4:14-16
We cannot make any offering for sin that produces mercy and forgiveness. Our virtue will not do it, nor will religious works, the right disposition, or remorse.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law - part 111
Scripture Text: Proverbs 28:13-14
Everybody sins. Anyone who claims otherwise, is kidding himself but God is not fooled. We were born into sin; it invades all of life.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law - part 110
Scripture Text: Hebrews 6:19
Some people have faith in their works. They believe that there are certain things they can do to earn God's grace. This imagined acquisition of grace is called condignity.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law - part 109
Scripture Text: Mark 14:32-38; 1 Kings 19:11-13
The spirit is compelled to have faith in God but the flesh is weak. It is hard to stay awake and watchful against the accusations of the law.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 108
Scripture Text: Galatians 2:16-18
Those who consider themselves Christian would confess that Christ saves. But the later actions of some betray a different belief than what they confess.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law - part 107
Scripture Text: 1 Timothy 2:3-6
There is no good thing that we can do, or even a lifetime's collection of good works, that God would dignify as a righteousness worthy of eternal life.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law - part 106
Scripture Text: Hebrews 12:28-29
True faith in Christ is not shaken for long, since it remembers the source and object of its faith. Faith does not seek to appease an angry God.
Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law – part 105
Scripture Text: Hebrews 10:38-11:1
Faith is not a mere intellectual understanding of God. Many people believe there is a God but they neither know who he is nor put their trust in him.