Do You Have to Turn from Your Sins to Be Born Again? 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
This past Thanksgiving, I spent the week with my eldest daughter’s family. Her youngest son is one and half years old and is my youngest grandson. It has been years since I had a child that age, and I am out of practice in such things. It is always an experience spending time with him. […]
God Can Do a Lot with a Little (Jeremiah 52:28-34)
Jeremiah is a depressing book. The prophet had preached to the Israelites in the southern kingdom of Judah for 40 years, warning of the coming discipline of God because of their sin. Unfortunately, they did not listen. The consequences were devastating. The Babylonians were used by God to destroy the cities of Judah. Jerusalem was […]
Are You on the Inside or Outside When it Comes to the Lord? (Mark 3:31)
Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. In Mark 3:31 there is a graphic, but sad picture. Jesus is in a house with His disciples. This includes more than the twelve apostles. There are so many disciples inside the house with the Lord that He can’t […]
L’Oscurità alla Croce: Parte Terza (Marco 15:33)
Nella seconda parte di questa serie, ho discusso di due modi popolari di interpretare l’oscurità alla croce di Cristo. Sebbene ci siano alcune verità contenute in quelle interpretazioni, penso esista un’alternativa migliore. Questa alternativa si adagia meglio al contesto di Marco 15. Ci sono due motivi chiave per adottare quest’opinione. La prima si tratta di […]
L’Oscurità alla Croce: Parte Seconda (Marco 15:33)
Nella prima parte, ho parlato del centurione che, ai piedi della croce, considerò saggiamente l’oscurità al tempo della morte di Cristo ed arrivò a delle conclusioni sorprendenti su chi fosse Gesù. Dovremmo anche noi chiederci il significato di quell’oscurità. Innanzitutto, vorrei considerare alcune opinioni popolari sul significato di quell’ oscurità. Anche se rispecchiano alcune verità […]
Free Grace Pastors’ Conference in Costa Rica
GES has been planning a pastors’ conference in Costa Rica for a couple of years. Lordship Salvation has a very strong presence in that country, and Protestant pastors are exposed to that teaching. Many of John MacArthur’s books, for example, are translated into Spanish and are used by these pastors in their sermon preparations. In […]
В команде победителя (Марка 4:27-28)
В течение небольшого периода моей жизни, я очень любил одного друга, с которым служил вместе в армии. Его звали Девага. Я записался играть в баскетбольной команде в местной церковной лиге. Я взрослел и мои друзья, игравшие в команде, тоже. К счастью, все другие команды состояли из наших однолеток. И мы, и турнир пребывали в самом […]
L’Oscurità alla Croce: Parte Prima (Marco 15:33)
Venuta l’ora sesta, si fecero tenebre su tutto il paese fino all’ora nona Apocalypto è davvero un film per uomini. Il protagonista sta per essere sacrificato in un tempio da un prete Maya. Il popolo crede che i loro raccolti stiano venendo meno perché gli dèi sono arrabbiati con loro. Proprio quando il protagonista sta […]
Teaching at a Baptist Seminary in Costa Rica
Recently, GES board member Bernie Hunsucker and I were able to conduct a Free Grace pastors’ conference in Costa Rica. Prior to our going, one of the pastors asked if I would teach at a Baptist seminary of which he was president. He explained that the students were heavily influenced by Calvinism. The president himself […]
在稳赢的团队中(可4:27-28)
在我生命中的一小段时间里，我最喜欢的人之一是一个叫德维加（Devega）的人。我们一起在军队里。我报名参加了当地一个教会联盟的篮球队。我越来越老了，我的朋友们也是这个团队的一员。幸运的是，其他团队都是由我们这样的人组成的。竞争对手，就像我们一样，已经过了巅峰期。 但德维加不同。他年轻，个子高，跑地快。他能跳地很高。因为他是我们队的，我们从未输过一场比赛。我知道这不公平，但我不在乎。我还很年轻，血液里流淌着竞争的血液，我只想赢。 虽然我对团队的贡献很小，但这并不重要。我会为德维加设置掩护。我会把球传给德维加，看着他得分。我会为德维加加油，看着其他球队的老队员试图阻止他尽都失败。有了德维加，胜利是自然而然的。 在每一场比赛开始前，我就知道比赛的结果。我是优胜队的一员。我的贡献很少，但我知道我将是赛季结束时捧起冠军奖杯的人之一。 对于那些热爱公平竞争的人来说，我的经历将是可怕的。在一个每个人都知道结果的联盟里打球有什么乐趣呢？这是合理的抱怨。但至少在某种程度上，它是基督徒生活的一个很好的例证。 《马可福音》是唯一一个用寓言来描述一个人在地里撒种子的福音。他不知道这一切是如何运作的，但土地产生了作物。事实上，在希腊语中，马可写到这是自然而然的。庄稼就要长出来了。这是肯定的事。我们知道结果(可4:26-28)。 在这个比喻中，很明显，种子是未来神的国的信息。它包含了这样一个信息:在基督里的永生是通过信心而得到的免费礼物，这永生永远不会失去的。但它也包括这样一个事实，祂将嘉奖那些相信祂的人的忠诚。国度就要来了。那些拥有永生的人的大丰收以及他们的奖赏即将到来。这是无法阻止的。祂的应许保证了这一点。这是自然而然的。 当我们服侍主的时候，我们是在胜利的队伍中。主要我们用我们所有的力量来服侍祂，我们也应该这样做。通过这种方式，我们为团队的努力做出了贡献。但我们必须记住，胜利是肯定的，因为祂是我们的队长。这并不取决于我们的工作或努力。我们所期待的那个国度的到来已成定局。 我们有幸成为胜利者。我们知道，当我们侍奉主时，我们就是在参与这场胜利。德维加需要有人给他传球。他需要有人给他做掩护。主，在祂的恩典中，给了我们在祂的团队和与祂一起工作的荣誉。 保罗这样描述自己的工作。他到了哥林多城，正在为主栽种。但使庄稼生长的是主。王赐给他恩典，让他和祂一起为祂的国积累永恒的财富。保罗所做的每一件事都是基督要成就的一部分; 基督是保证成功的人(林前3:6-7)。 底线是:当我们服侍主的时候，我们是在胜利的队伍中。永生不能丧失。这不是问题所在。问题是永恒的奖励。我们知道结果。国度就要来了，我们所做的事也要有赏赐，只要我们“行善不可丧志”(加6:9)。尽管我们知道是我们的队长确保了胜利，但只要我们继续把球扔给祂，我们就有机会在一切结束后和祂一起捧起奖杯。