Category: Ephesians

  • In Between – Born again and glory

    Two large cliffs with the text "In Between" in the air

    Christmas is over unless you are a member of an Orthodox Church; in that case, it won’t come until January 7th. There may still be turkey to eat and undecorating to happen, but for most of us, Christmas 2024 is in the past.

    We’re in the nebulous period in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s a time when people easily get confused about what day it is, and calendars get confused.

    People are starting to gear up for their favorite New Year’s Eve activity. For some, it will be big parties; for others, it will be a quiet night at home. I used to enjoy the New Year’s Eve gatherings at “the cowboy church,” where we would gather for an evening of games and snacks and ring the New Year in with communion.

    It’s also a time of reflection. Many will reflect on their resolutions from last year, some of which will be successful and some of which will fail. Most resolutions last only a few days. Other people will be thinking ahead to the changes they want to make for the New Year.

    I don’t tend to make resolutions. If I were to make one, it would be more like Christ. That, of course, is an ongoing process guided by the Holy Spirit.

    …and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV

    For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV

    God alone saves us. God transforms us. He redeems and shapes us to spend eternity in His presence. We are betweeb being born again and home in glory.

    There are Christian disciplines that can help us be readily available for Him to mold us. There is prayer, fasting, Scripture reading, worship attendance, giving, service, and more.

    I seldom miss a Sunday of worship, and thanks to technology, if I do, I can at least catch up on the sermon. It isn’t the same as attending in person, but it helps. My prayer life can always use work. Fasting is something I have done periodically but never regularly. Tithing is part of our lifestyle, and we both serve at the local church.

    Now, let’s be clear: none of those things earns me extra merit with God. We are saved by grace and not by works. All of us are sinners saved by grace and works in process.

    The other discipline I am reasonably consistent with is Bible reading. I don’t do it every day, but I try to read the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation at least once a year. That’s on top of whatever other reading I do.

    I will be reading in the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) this coming year. It’s a solid translation, not my favorite, but I’d have no issues recommending it to others.

    By changing translations each time I read through, I gain fresh perspectives. It forces me to actually read what’s on the page, not what I am used to seeing.

    I confess to cheating. I started yesterday as I had finished last year’s reading already. I try to be diligent in my reading, but I don’t give up if I miss a day or two. I pick up where I left off and continue.

    There are plenty of Bible reading pans out there. I usually read front to back, but some do the New Testament and then the Old, others read chronologically, and still others have designated passages in both the Old and New for each day. It doesn’t matter which plan you choose; pick one and stick to it.

    What are your plans for the coming year? Are you planning on reading the Scriptures in 2025? What plan do you use? Is there a time or place that you find helpful to read? What translation will you use this year? Have you done it before? Let me know, let’s all encourage one another.

    What are you doing in between?

    Kevin

    Some other Content to consider

    Some thoughts on who we are in Christ

    The gospel – the best news ever

    Why Sound Doctrine still matters

  • The World Changed on Reformation Day

    Happy Reformation Day. 

    On this day, five hundred and seven years ago, one of the most transformational events in history occurred. A then obscure, devout Roman Catholic monk, Martin Luther, Attached what would come to be known as the “Ninety-Five Theses” to the door of the Wittenberg Church in Germany.

    At that time, the Roman Catholic church was in the practice of selling indulgences.

    The church believed that a believer ascended into heaven only after an appropriate amount of time was spent in Purgatory, facing cleansing and punishment for sin. To reduce this suffering, the church sold indulgences, reducing the time spent there. A living person could also purchase reduced time or skip Purgatory through a guaranteed mass performed at their future funeral.

    These indulgences were a huge money-raiser for the church, and Luther was concerned that such practices did not match up with what the Scriptures taught. He compiled a list of 95 theological issues for debate and attached them to the church’s door. That was the equivalent of posting the challenge on social media today.

    This act would eventually lead to him being declared a heretic, sentenced to death, and eventually to the formation of the “Lutheran” church. The Reformation was underway.

    Around the same time, other believers also questioned various doctrines taught by the church, and a move was made to reform the church’s teachings. Not all 

    The Reformers did not agree on every issue; in fact, there was great diversity and even animosity between them.

    This clumsy, diverse movement led to the establishment of what would be called the protesting or Protestant Church in all of its diversity. Although numerous “pre-reformers” were working to recover the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in the work of Jesus Christ, this October date is generally considered the start of the Reformation.

    Many of the reformers were martyred  or spent their lives hiding as “heretics.”

    Why should we care?

    As Protestants, we trace our lineage not to the reformers but to the teachings of Christ himself. The true doctrine of “by faith alone” was recovered by not invented by the reformers. It was always foundational to the bible but has become lost in church bureaucracy and tradition. Still, these men and women paid a high price for the truth. Their sacrifice is worth remembering.

    The truth is, as the Scriptures declare,

    But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5

    For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

    Are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ. Jesus Romans 3:24

    Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrew 11:1

    For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God   Ephesians 2:8

    Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Psalm 3:8

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6

    We don’t merit redemption. We can’t earn it, and we can’t buy it. It is a gift of love and mercy. 

    Praise God for the salvation he freely offers.

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Gleanings From The Word

    Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

    Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

    Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

    Halloween and Reformation Day
    Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.