Jesus

What was Last Adam’s Greater Work?

April 6, 2012 // 18 Comments

The history of the world, as told by some people, runs like this: Adam disobeyed God and as a result brought death to all mankind, but Jesus came and put everything back the way it was. This sort of thinking puts Adam and his everyday sin on the same level of Christ and His incomparable gift. What was Jesus’ [...]

Is Jesus the Savior of the World?

March 7, 2012 // 72 Comments

I know, it’s a dumb question. And yet among Christians this question – Is Jesus the Savior of the world? – leads to two radically different answers: (1) Yes – all can be saved (2) Yes – all are now saved Between these two answers lies one of biggest debates raging on Gracebook, sorry [...]

Five Ways Jesus Revealed Grace

February 2, 2012 // 52 Comments

Have you ever noticed that Jesus never said the word “grace”? Doesn’t this strike you as odd? After all, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Jesus is grace personified. So why didn’t he talk about it? The word “grace” appears just four times in the gospels and not once does Jesus say it. In [...]

Do Everything Jesus Said?

January 30, 2012 // 24 Comments

“We should do everything Jesus said,” is one of the most dangerous and thoughtless doctrines you’ll ever hear. And you’ll only hear it from hypocrites. I guarantee you that those who say we must do everything Jesus said aren’t doing everything He said themselves. Jesus said, “Be perfect” (Mt 5:48). [...]

The Greatest Law Preacher

January 14, 2012 // 104 Comments

“Don’t stray too far from the red letters,” is a piece of advice often given to new preachers. It means, stay close to the teachings of Jesus and you can’t go wrong. It sounds good, but it’s actually bad advice. Everything Jesus said was good and wonderful, but not everything He said was meant for you. [...]

How well did I understand grace before I understood grace?

May 27, 2011 // 85 Comments

Have you ever seen those Magic Eye 3D pictures that look random at first glance but then reveal a hidden picture? Maybe there’s a group of you looking and someone says, “Wow – look at that! It’s a ship!” Then another person sees it and now they’re both describing the picture to you. But try as you [...]

Chop Off Your Hand?! Was Jesus Serious?

April 7, 2011 // 74 Comments

If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole [...]

The Gospel in One Word, Two Words…

March 22, 2011 // 83 Comments

I don’t know who said this first, but “the gospel is simple and it takes theologians to complicate it.” Recently I gave myself the challenge of presenting a comprehensive and jargon-free gospel in less than 400 words. That exercise got me thinking. What if we limited the gospel to just one word, or two [...]

This is not good news…

January 3, 2011 // 3 Comments

But this is: God is good! And so’s this: You are forgiven, redeemed, cleansed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus And this: If God has loved you once, He will love you forever! I hope you enjoy re-visiting some of the best gospel posts from 2010. For more good news about God’s grace, check out the [...]

James – Preacher of Grace

October 2, 2010 // 24 Comments

It seems everyone has an opinion about James and how his letter fits (or doesn’t fit) into the New Testament. I thought I had heard everything, but this week, one of my readers sent me Scofield’s take on the book of James: “..his epistle shows no trace of the larger revelations of the church and the [...]

The Gospel Comes to Laodicea

July 15, 2010 // 10 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. Mention the Letter to the Laodiceans to a random Christian and they may respond with, “isn’t that the one where Jesus says we have to be on fire for God or he will vomit us [...]

Laodicea, Part 2: What Makes Jesus Sick? (Rev 3:16)

May 16, 2010 // 33 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. God never makes us sick but did you know it’s possible for people to make him feel sick? Now there’s a staggering thought. Yet this is exactly the reaction the Laodicean [...]