Imagine you owe a mountain of money—much more than you can repay. It’s all your fault—you spent a little too much here, a little more there. You went through credit cards like they were candy. You didn’t plan for certain expenses you knew were coming. Before you knew it, you were in a hole youContinue reading “No Reason To Go Back”
Tag Archives: baptism
Baptism and Coming to God (1)
Lots of people have lots of questions about baptism. Questions like what is it? Who is it for? What is it for? These are all good questions that deserve a biblical answer, so let’s get started. 1. Baptism is the immersion in water of a penitent believer. Acts 8:36-39 says: As they traveled along the road,Continue reading “Baptism and Coming to God (1)”
Dying to See
Paul will tell the disciples in Rome they are to count themselves “dead to sin but alive to God” (6:11). He has previously spoken of baptism as being the place where they “died to sin” (v. 2) and were “baptized into His death” (v. 3)—that is, the death of Jesus. What does he mean? Jesus’Continue reading “Dying to See”
What Makes A Best Man (or Woman)
John 3:22-30 is a passage that is tucked away between Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus and His visit with the women at the well in Samaria. It’s like the U.S. Grant Memorial which sits between the Washington Monument and the U.S Capitol—by its very location it tends to be overlooked and under-valued. But as we’ll see,Continue reading “What Makes A Best Man (or Woman)”
Nicodemus and the New Birth (2)
Under the law God had given through Moses, Jewish people like Nicodemus entered into a covenant relationship with God by virtue of their physical birth into the nation (there was more to it than that, of course, but that was where it began). With the coming of Christ, covenant relationship no longer came through theContinue reading “Nicodemus and the New Birth (2)”
John’s baptism and ours
Brandon asks, Why is baptism used before Jesus? I thought baptism signified Jesus’ death and resurrection. Why would baptism be used by John if that’s what it is for? As the question suggests, the two baptisms are closely related but also have important differences. Think of them like an engagement ring and a wedding ring. The engagement ringContinue reading “John’s baptism and ours”
Rooting ourselves in community
It’s no secret to anyone who spends any time in 1 Corinthians that the disciples at Corinth were experiencing some serious problems due to their divisiveness. Paul points this out at the start (1:10ff) and returns to it frequently throughout the letter. It is one of the major themes of 1 Corinthians. I suppose thereContinue reading “Rooting ourselves in community”
The Beauty of Baptism
Baptism is beautiful—not as something to be exalted in and of itself (it’s meaningless in that sense), but as it is used by God to unite us with Christ. 1. Baptism is where a dead person comes alive. (Colossians 2:12-13). . . . having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised withContinue reading “The Beauty of Baptism”
Roots and Fruits
In Romans 6, Paul is dealing with a couple of objections he must have encountered more than a time or two in sharing the good news of Jesus with people. The first objection is in v. 1: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? This goes back toContinue reading “Roots and Fruits”
Baptism And Wedding Vows
If you listen closely to the vows couples exchange during a wedding ceremony (whether they are traditional or ones they have written), they all have the same intent and purpose and say the same thing. They are promises that each will commit themselves to the attitudes and actions conducive to happy, healthy marriage. No oneContinue reading “Baptism And Wedding Vows”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 