Faith Without Works Is Dead
There is perhaps no more controversial scripture in the Bible than this gem from James: What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can [...]
works of faith
Judged for Our Work and Living in Fear
A reader asked me how to read the following verse through a new covenant lens: If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct [...]
What are Works of Faith?
What is the relationship between faith and works? And are we saved by faith or faith plus works? Many people are confused about these things, and it’s not hard to see why: [...]
Are your Deeds Incomplete?
Are you worn out? If Christians are worn out, it’s usually for one of two reasons: (1) they don’t know how much their Father loves them and (2) they have an [...]
What does it mean to keep his deeds?
If you were to make a list of big topics discussed by Jesus and the New Testament writers, the subject of deeds or works would have to be on that list. They all spoke about [...]
What Deeds does Jesus Know?
In his letters to the seven churches, Jesus repeatedly says, “I know your deeds.” He exhorts the Ephesians to do the deeds they did at first (Rev. 2:5), he rebukes the [...]
What are Heavenly Treasures?
We know there are heavenly treasures, because Jesus says so, but what are they? Some say God is going to dispense treasure, mansions, and even cities to those who have proven [...]
Is Grace a License to be Lazy?
One of the complaints made against the gospel of grace is that it promotes sin and slothfulness. Those who say such things know little about the grace of God that [...]
The Parable of the Two Sons
From time to time people ask me to write about the parables of Jesus. This is something I enjoy doing because I love the parables. The parables of Jesus are launch pads to [...]
Rewarded for Doing Good?
Jesus and Paul both said we would be rewarded for doing good, which sounds like a punch in the face to the gospel of grace. We have looked at the words of Jesus (in John [...]
Judged for what we have done
The good news of heaven declares that everything comes to us as a free gift from our heavenly Father. But the bad news of earth says you better work baby, because there’s [...]
Rewarded for What We’ve Done?
The Bible says that we will be rewarded for what we have done. Not what we have believed, but done-diddley-done-done. So what do we have to do? In this three-part series, [...]
Rewarded for their Labor? (1 Corinthians 3:8)
I have been asked this question again and again: What are heavenly rewards? Or, how do rewards fit in with grace? Some say there are no rewards, yet Jesus spoke about [...]
Labor to Enter his Rest
The other day a strange man approached a young girl and offered her candy if she would get in his car. Thankfully, the girl knew all about stranger danger and quickly walked [...]
Does the Grace Gospel Make Us Lazy?
“Grace is a soft gospel for soft Christians,” say the critics. “Grace promotes passivity and laziness.” It does? I guess somebody forgot to tell Paul: By the grace of [...]
How to Become an Unbeliever in 3 Easy Steps
How do you turn a believer into an unbeliever? How do you extinguish the flame of faith? These questions have been on my mind lately because I have seen people reject that [...]
Questions ain’t questions
Growing up in Australia, I was used to seeing trucks from a company called “Soils Ain’t Soils.” Strange name for a company but I get it. They’re saying there are [...]
God is Not Your Employer
The good news of God’s acceptance is not widely preached. You are much more likely to hear about God’s high standards than his unmerited favor. It’s like Jesus has this [...]
Acceptance elevates us
When you know God is pleased with you regardless of your productivity, it will free you from the pressure to perform. When you’ve heard God say “Yes” to you, it will [...]
6 examples of confession in the Bible
Confession has become a touchy subject in the grace community. Judging by some of the comments I have received in the past week, there are some folks who think we must never [...]
Is Confession Good for You?
Nothing winds me up faster than telling people they must do things like confess to be forgiven. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, confessing your sins does not [...]
Endure hardship? Or thresh mountains?
A few days ago, a house on the Sunshine Coast in Australia was destroyed in a fire that was possibly started by faulty Christmas lights. A family of five were sleeping inside [...]
Life doesn’t have the last word (when you’re walking in the spirit)
A man, blind from birth, learns of an operation that will give him the gift of sight. Encouraged by his friends and family, he undergoes the procedure. The operation is a [...]
What Happens to Unfruitful Branches?
Update: Check out the newer version of this article. Jesus said, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, NASB). In the hands of a religious person [...]
10 Myths About the Ministry of the Holy Spirit
Some people view the Holy Spirit as a kind of Divine Bookkeeper, a recorder of men’s sins. But if Jesus did away with sin once and for all by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb [...]
Not by sight
Ever since James wrote that “faith without works is dead,” Christians have been busying themselves with all sorts of busy-ness to prove that they really, positively do [...]
Dealing with unanswered prayer
“I have been asking God to heal me for years. I don’t understand why He hasn’t me. I guess it’s not God’s will for me to be healed.” If you’ve been following [...]
Work out Your Salvation with Fear and Trembling
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling… [...]
Rahab’s Faith
Last Sunday, near the end of the service, about ten people responded to the invitation to give their lives to Jesus. Of course I was as shocked as you are. I thought, “Who [...]
James 2:24
In this study on James chapter 2, we have been comparing works done under law with works done under grace. Understanding this distinction is essential if we are to reconcile [...]
What are the Works of Abraham? (And Why Should We Do Them?)
If we are saved by faith in Christ alone, why does James insist that our faith must be matched with works? How can you balance the grace of God with the works of man? You [...]
What About James? (Are We Really Justified by Works?)
Whenever you preach the 100% pure gospel of God’s grace, someone will inevitably ask, “What about James?” The gospel of grace that Paul preached declares that we are [...]
Incomplete Deeds: The Zombie Church of Sardis (Rev 3:1-6)
UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. What a wonderful thing for a church to [...]
Gifts + Message + Mission: Lessons from 2 Timothy
Near the end of his life Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy. It is full of practical wisdom for every Christian. In the first two chapters we find three timely [...]
Escape to Reality 