Whatever Happened To Grace?

Sep 13

“You are saved by grace through faith” Today because we live in a country where the vast majority claim to be Christian we have now become afraid of Grace. The apostle Paul wrote those words above to a group of individuals who were not living as those who have become new in Christ. Today it is the type of church you go to, the type of music you listen...

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Testing All Things: A Conversation about Law and Grace

Aug 25

A LETTER FROM A CONCERNED CHURCH LEADER TO JON ZENS, 1979   [I was going through an old box of papers recently, and found this letter & my reply from 30 years ago.  Ted never replied to my response.]   August 20, 1979   Dear Jon,   Though I do not have time at the present to indicate the reasons why, I must inform you that I am very disappointed in the...

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Welcoming One Another: Understanding the Gospel of Grace

Aug 24

2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the...

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What Does It Really Mean To Be “Saved By Grace”?

Aug 07

To be saved by grace, has three overarching implications that should grip us as Christians. I think because the phrase is so popular, and so overly used that it has lost its emphasis. Not only has it lost its emphasis but it is also diluted to the point where “grace” has lost its power. So lets talk about the implications. Grace Originates my Faith Faith...

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The Carrot And Stick Gospel: When Grace Is Not Enough

Mar 22

Grace is the word that separates Christianity from every other religion. There has been stories of the resurrection (See the story of Osiris) there has been stories about the gods coming down; however, no religion has a God stepping down in human flesh and bearing His own wrath on the behalf of others to reconcile human and God forever. Christianity is the only...

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Dartboard Ethics: Whatever Sticks?

Jan 20

This is the second follow up to my post Your Doctrine Drives Your Practice . The question we have to ask ourselves, when we have been called “out of darkness to His marvelous light” is “how should I now behave”. This is fundamental to our perspective on what pleases God. If you spend any time in your bible or if you have been to listening to...

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