[This article is taken from Hal’s NEW FREE booklet called “God Don’t Make Junk!” Download the free pdf. Read it. Smile. It’s awesome. I love it! -Joel Hayes] We are New Creatures. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In his epistle to the church … Continue reading God Don’t Make Junk!
The Organic Union We live in an age when individual rights, self-reliance and independence is greatly valued (at least in word if not always in substance). People everywhere are “doing their own thing.” This attitude is also pervasive in the Church, the Body of Christ and manifests itself in many forms. One form that many of us might recognize goes something like this; “I have … Continue reading We Are One – A Study in Organic Dynamics
Romans 16:24-26 – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. ¶ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to … Continue reading Three Pillars in the Believer’s Establishment
Our flesh is in a continual state of dissatisfaction. It relishes all the religion and self-effort that we can throw at it and then screams for MORE. “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, {21} (Touch not; taste not; handle not; {22} Which all are to perish … Continue reading Unsatisfied
Occasionally, I check out various writings on subjects that interest me and lately I have been perusing Universal Reconciliation websites. It is puzzling to me about all the hoopla over the translation over the Greek word ‘aionios’ (everlasting, eternal, etc.). The common vein is to question all translations of the scripture and to suggest that ‘aionios’ CAN mean forever, BUT that it doesn’t have to. … Continue reading Universal Reconciliation?
Questioning God Romans 8:28 ( KJV ) 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Often believers find themselves at odds with God because of difficult circumstances in their lives. They experience feelings of abandonment and question God’s purpose for their life as they imagine God’s disapproval and … Continue reading The Romans 8:28 Trap
“Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” What a marvelous declaration from God that echoes through this age, as penned by the Apostle Paul! However, it is so sad that many people are ignorant of the fact that we live in a time designated by God as one in which He is dispensing grace alone. When … Continue reading The Essence of Grace
One of my favorite scenes from Star Trek involves Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. To one of the Captain’s inquiries Spock replies; “I fail to understand the logic of your asking for my opinion on matters which you have already made up your mind” (or something to that effect). I have found this to be true in Life. People ask for your opinion when they … Continue reading Something To Think About
(Col 3:1) “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” It is interesting that this verse begins with “if”. If is a word that speaks to conditionality; it is not a word that only deals with a question. Here in Colossians there is no question of the believer being “risen” with … Continue reading Raised With Christ
The Holy Spirit is a vital element in our relationship to God, not only as a member of the Godhead but as the performer of Divine operations that shape this relationship. The Holy Spirit is the one that baptizes us into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13) and seals us there (Ephesians 1:13) and is the earnest of our redemption (Ephesians 1:14). The Spirit … Continue reading Quench Not the Spirit
“No man is an island,” says the song, and much the same can be said of any word in any language. One of the arguments set forth against the reliability of the King James Bible deals with the issue of the vernacular of the original languages. It is suggested that, since many of the original words have meanings peculiar to the Greek or Hebrew languages, … Continue reading No Words Stand Alone
UNSATISFIED Our flesh is in a continual state of dissatisfaction. It relishes all the religion and self-effort that we can throw at it and then screams for MORE. “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, {21} (Touch not; taste not; handle not; {22} Which all are to … Continue reading Unsatisfied
CALVINISM 1. Makes God the author of sin. 2. Cheapens the grace of God by limiting it’s scope. 3. Populates the planet with a majority population of un-redeemable un-men like creatures who were created by God as “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” 4. Denigrates faith by teaching that regeneration precedes faith. 5. Falsely teaches that faith is the gift of God rather than salvation. … Continue reading My View of Calvinism
This particular article will be confusing for some as I am addressing a particular group of people with whom I have encounters dating back almost forty years. This group is known as the, so-called, “Grace Movement.” I have often felt over the years that this is somewhat a misnomer in that, in behavior, much of what I have witnessed contradicts grace, and what movement there … Continue reading Judges, Grace Police, and Para-church Schisms in the Body of Christ
(Col 2:20-23) “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, {21} (Touch not; taste not; handle not; {22} Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? {23} Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and … Continue reading Frustrating Grace
This item was written by my dear friend Doug Dodd (now in glory). It speaks to the effect of our new life in Christ as opposed to religion and human effort. Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after … Continue reading Conformed or Transformed?
Paul, in his prayers for the saints expressed this desire; (Eph 3:16-19) “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; {17} That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, {18} May be able to comprehend with all saints what is … Continue reading Complete In Christ
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” (Phil 3:2) Dogs are used in a negative context consistently throughout Scripture. Interestingly, they are in the context of Psalm 22 – a messianic psalm concerning the betrayal, and crucifixion, of the Lord Jesus Christ. Examples: (Exo 22:31) “And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is … Continue reading Brief Commentary on Philippians 3:2
“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, {4} Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:” (Gal 1:3-4) Believers often are myopic in their view of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, seeing it from a positional … Continue reading Are You Being Saved?
It is tragic that many believers are driven by the same mindset of the unconverted – they think they can earn God’s acceptance through their works. While many understand that it is “not through works we have done” in regards to positional righteousness, they still believe that their works will impress God in place of practical righteousness. The scripture says that there is no respect … Continue reading Approved of God
Supply of Grace 