Originally posted on April 12th 2020 This is the second post I have written this Easter on living the Christian life, the first being “Walk Before Me and be Thou Perfect” (of 4 days ago). The two should be read together as they compliment each other! The former is concerned with the principle governing the Christian life. The present post is concerned with the power to live the Christian life; it will have its focus on the Easter message! The…
Originally posted on April 9th 2020 “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Genesis 17:1 KJV If ever there was an inspirational text, this must be the one! Today, I want to start with Abraham’s walk with God, and compare it to our own. The principle governing Abraham´s walk with God was FAITH, NOT LAW! The principle…
In my recent blog posts, I have been approaching the subject of sanctification by an indirect route. This was certainly true with 1 Corinthians, and to a lesser extent with Romans chapter 8. I know that the words ‘law’ and ‘obedience’ can evoke sometimes traumatic emotions in people; often dictated by the kind of atmosphere in the home we grew up in – by the relationship we had with our father, or our parents. Such traumatic emotions can become effective…
In the last blog post, we talked about sanctification as being a) a consecration – a setting apart – a separation; for the purpose and the service of God (see 1 Cor. 1,30; 6,11; Rom. 1,7; Phil. 1,1 etc.), and b) a process, whereby we are being conformed to the image of his Son. In the mind of Paul, it was unthinkable, but that the latter should be the outcome of the former; that we are set apart for him…
Twice during Easter I posted a blog about living the Christian life; on the 8th of April, and on the 12th. I was concerned to show that the Christian life is lived by faith, and in the power of the Spirit! I was careful to emphasis this, over against the keeping of law! Of course “the Law” in Paul’s day, could mean the whole Torah, or just the 10 commandments. Christians have never, to my knowledge, thought that the whole…