The doctrine of justification by faith is at the very heart of the Christian gospel. Paul lays this out clearly in his epistle to the Romans: “None is righteous, no, not one. . . Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may […]
When Peter began to separate from associating with the Gentiles, for fear of the Jews, Paul opposed him to his face. Though Peter knew that salvation had come to the Gentiles, that justification came by faith and not works, he nevertheless was acting in a way that showed the gospel was for those who kept […]
As Paul continues to recount his experiences in Jerusalem, we learn that the gospel message he had been proclaiming – of justification by faith alone for both the Jew and Gentile – was ultimately accepted by the other Apostles: “when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave […]
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul describes himself as the least of the apostles because he persecuted the church of God (1 Cor. 15:9). However, after Paul’s eyes were opened to the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, he became a new creation, zealous for good works and the spread of the gospel. His testimony became a […]
As Paul begins his letter to the Galatians, his feelings are unmistakable: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel” (Gal. 1:6). He is quick to address the fact that the Galatians, by adding good works as a condition for receiving […]
The story of the young man who approaches Jesus in Mark 10:17-26 is a familiar passage of Scripture with a message just as profound today as it was 2000 years ago. Though we may be successful in every possible way – economically, socially, morally, religiously, intellectually – the question still remains: do we count all gain […]
One of the most well-known of Jesus’ parables, the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) was told in response to a lawyer’s question of how to inherit eternal life. Rather than giving him the legalistic response he was looking for – a check list of actions and individuals he was to show love to – Jesus answered the […]
As the Lord had graciously promised through the prophets, God’s people had finally returned from exile. Under the direction of Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, they had laid the foundation of the temple and had even begun offering sacrifices again. However, the prophet Zechariah is shown a shocking vision of the true […]
The Christian life is one of growth and sanctification, perseverance and practice. As we mature as believers, we must be careful not to merely accumulate head knowledge, while leaving our practice untouched and unaltered. Teaching from the book of James, Pastor Dave Leandre works through the first two chapters, focusing on the command to be […]
