One important word Bible scholars use about the work of Christ on the cross is “propitiation,” which means “to win back the favor of someone by doing something that pleases them.” Jesus’s death on the cross won back the favor of an angry God. Here are the verses that mention the propitiation of God: …whom…
Read MoreCategory: Bible Study
Lessons and studies from the Bible
Jesus Died on the Cross for You
Was the crucifixion of Jesus necessary? Did he have to die for me? If you want to experience eternal life as a child of God, the answer is yes. The word Bible scholars use for what Jesus did on the cross is “Atonement.” According to Merriam-Webster, “atone” means “to make amends, to provide or serve…
Read MoreThe Crucifixion of Christ: To Save Us From Our Sins
In continuing our look at the work of Christ, and in particular, what he did in the past, we now come to the ultimate reason for the Incarnation. Jesus came to save his people from their sins. This is what the angel told Joseph before Jesus was born: “She will bear a son, and you…
Read MoreWhy is the Incarnation So Important?
The importance of the Incarnation, which we looked at in the previous post, can’t be overstated. Jesus, God the Son, became a human being and lived among us. Please don’t let that truth fly by you without a thought. Spend a moment pondering that. Jesus not only became human, he lived a sinless life. Not…
Read MoreThe Incarnation and the Meaning of Christmas
Last year, I wrote a blog series titled “Who is Jesus?” where we looked at the person of Christ. We discussed the fact that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. If you’ve never read that series, here’s a link: Who is Jesus? This year, I’d like to focus on the work of Christ….
Read MoreFrom the Archives: Trials and Cozy Coupes
Note – The following is a re-post of one I wrote in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we’ve been looking at passages in the book of James, I thought it might be fun to pull it out and take another look. Sometimes, you read something that sounds ridiculous. When our kids were little,…
Read MoreSpecial Post: A Bigger Threat than al-Qaeda?
I read an article last week that really stirred my emotions. Two men were discussing one of our political leaders. It doesn’t matter who any of the people are, and I won’t post a link to the article. This isn’t a political post. It’s a theological post. But more than that, it’s a post about…
Read MoreHow to Win the War Within You
The Bible says that each of us is in a constant state of battle. This conflict is within us, and it’s a battle between what God wants for us and what we want. It’s a battle over whether to submit to God or our selfish desires, over what we want to do and what we…
Read MoreYour Desires that Battle Within You
We’re looking at some lessons in the book of James, one of the most practical books in the Bible. We’ve talked about both the damage and the good that our mouths can do. One of the things we said is this: what comes out of the mouth reflects what’s in our hearts. If we have…
Read MoreWatch Your Mouth, part 2 – Be positive!
Our words matter. When our kids were little, they weren’t allowed to say the word “stupid.” One day, my wife was at a crowded grocery store on the same aisle with some of our church members. The girls were sitting in the grocery cart, or, as we call it in the South, the buggy, when…
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