the cross

Three Treats for the Feast of Ascension

May 13, 2021 // 17 Comments

Forty days after Easter brings us to the Feast of Ascension. Which means that people all over the world are today celebrating the ascension of Jesus into heaven. I’ve been thinking about the post-Easter period because I’ve recently added several hundred verses to the Grace Commentary, many of them having to [...]

Jesus and the wrath of God

December 12, 2013 // 85 Comments

Are you familiar with the hymn In Christ Alone? Do you know this hymn is not hundreds of years old? It’s not even 20 years old. In Christ Alone is a very modern hymn. It was written in 2001 by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. I mention this hymn because it has these wonderful lyrics: Till on that cross as Jesus [...]

Can unbelievers take communion?

March 31, 2013 // 104 Comments

Communion ought to be a time of celebrating Christ’s finished work on the cross. It ought to be a time when we proclaim his victory over sin and sickness. Yet for many, communion is a time of navel-gazing self-examination. It’s a time of asking, Am I good enough for God? Am I worthy? Jesus said “take this [...]

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’ [...]

Are we Completely Forgiven?

October 26, 2011 // 20 Comments

Read the Bible indiscriminately and you’ll get a mixed message. You’ll take on board laws that were never meant for you and you’ll end up confused and lukewarm. You’ll fall from grace and cut yourself off from Christ. The best way to read the Bible is through the lens of Jesus and his finished work. [...]

Your glorious new past

August 3, 2011 // 15 Comments

When you got saved you were probably told a lot of wonderful things about your future. “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” You may have also been told some wonderful things about your present. “We’re living in the kingdom now!” But you probably didn’t hear too many wonderful things about your [...]

What happened to me at the cross?

August 1, 2011 // 39 Comments

Why do 90% of Christians struggle to receive grace and live the Christian life? There are two reasons. First, they do not properly value what Christ accomplished on the cross. Second, they do not know what happened to them on the cross. Every believer knows that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, but not [...]

What comes to mind when you think of the devil?

June 27, 2011 // 2 Comments

Here’s what Colossians 2:15 really says: “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (KJV). Shew = “to show, exhibit” (Vines). Check out some other cool images in E2R’s new Grace [...]

Is God’s Love Unconditional?

May 17, 2011 // 59 Comments

“How do you know God’s love is unconditional? The phrase ‘unconditional love’ is not in the Bible!” Ever heard this? It’s a fair question that cuts to the heart of the grace message. Grace says that God loves us with no strings attached but read the Bible and you will find that sometimes there are [...]

What keeps Christians weak and unproductive?

December 20, 2010 // 123 Comments

If you were the devil and you wanted to keep Christians barren, sick and ineffective, there is one simple thing that you could do: you would hide or distort the good news that we have been totally and eternally forgiven. Show me any Christian who is making a mark for God today, and I’ll show you someone who [...]

Two religions: Works and blood

July 5, 2010 // 55 Comments

Travel around the world and you would be forgiven for thinking there are thousands of religions and belief-systems. In reality there are only two religions: 1. religion based on works 2. religion based on the blood of Jesus People waste years studying different religions trying to figure out which one [...]

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus: Five Reasons to Thank Him

July 1, 2010 // 22 Comments

The gospel of grace is underwritten by the most precious commodity in the universe – the blood of Jesus. Some have lost sight of an important truth, possibly the most important truth, which is this: no blood means no salvation. And no redemption, no forgiveness, no sanctification, and no future. Without the [...]