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22
Sep 2016

Seven reasons why I do not join the popular, secular fight against racism!

Church, church planting, discipleship commitments, ethics, evangelism, gospel, grace of God, humankind, salvation, sin, social issues
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Seven reasons why I do not join the popular, secular fight against racism! Yes, I write this as a white man, who has been a racist in the past, who seeks to experience gospel grace to fight internal racism in the present, and who believes that the gospel alone can resolve the evil of the human heart which fosters racism. Here are seven reasons why I do not join the popular, secular, fight against racism. I do not believe we can have redeemed structures and institutions within society without having redeemed individuals.......

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20
Sep 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 13

evangelism, gospel, grace of God, humankind, Jesus Christ, salvation, sin, social issues
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Genesis 13 shows the sincere trust that Abram had in the promise of God. He is set in contrast to Lot who walks by sight not by faith. Abraham builds altars and worships the true and living God wherever he goes. Lot fixes his eyes on what appears to prosper him in this world. Lot makes his own way in choosing through the eyes of human wisdom while Abram walks in simple faith. Lot in his choice moves dangerously close to the ensnarement of sin; Abram in his choice comes to a......

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12
Sep 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 10-11

evangelism, gospel, grace of God, holiness of God, humankind, salvation, sin, social issues
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Genesis 10-11 show again the effects of the fall in the revolt of humankind against their Creator God. Here fallen mankind seeks to find security and peace through their united efforts in city building. Instead of scattering throughout the earth to fulfill the creation mandate, they build a tower to symbolize their united effort to develop human society their own way. Their common language, which is a gift of God designed to make possible God-centered community, is instead used in an attempt to secure their lives apart from God. God confuses their......

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06
Sep 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 6-9

evangelism, gospel, grace of God, holiness of God, humankind, salvation, sin
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Genesis Six through Nine reveal the severe holiness of God and His particular mercy.  Noah from the godly line of Seth finds favor with the Lord. He is called upon to become a deliverer in the midst of a terrible judgment. The method of salvation (i.e. the flood and ark) dictated by God was curious, if not laughable, in a world of violence, rebellion, and godlessness. Noah obediently fulfills his calling and  also experiences God’s saving grace as God shuts him in the ark to protect him and then later remembers him......

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29
Aug 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 5

evangelism, gospel, grace of God, humankind, Jesus Christ, salvation, sin, worship
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Genesis Five confirms God’s earlier threat to Adam that death, both spiritual and physical, would be the consequence of rebellion against the Creator. Though it would appear that some might escape the threat of death, living for as much as 969 years, inevitably death comes to all – except for one. God takes Enoch from the death-cursed world demonstrating that He alone rules over death and can rescue anyone from death. He also shows His power over an evil world by raising up Noah, a type of the Messiah, who witnessed a......

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22
Aug 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 4

evangelism, gospel, grace of God, humankind, salvation, sin
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Genesis 4 gives evidence of humankind’s downfall. The brokenness of human relationships brought about by sin is seen in fratricide. The seeds of false religion begin to sprout in Cain’s tokenism through which he seeks God’s favor in the deficient works of his own hands.  The jealous hatred of the true way is seen in the murder of Abel.  Yet, the mercy of God is evident as He allows Cain to live and the common grace of God is seen in that fallen, rebellious humans advance culture and civilization in God’s world.......

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15
Aug 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 3

evangelism, gospel, grace of God, social issues, worship
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As we saw in Genesis 2, God established a relationship with Adam — the King to his sub-regent and the Sovereign Lord to a priest. In Adam’s relationship as sub-regent and priest he was to rule under God’s command and worship God through his obedient priestly service in the Garden-Temple. Instead, Adam revolted and chose to act independently of God, believing the seductions of the anti-god, the Serpent. Adam relinquishes faith in God’s plan for his life and instead seeks to achieve life his own way. In so doing, he experiences death, initially seen in his alienation from God. He no......

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08
Aug 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 2

evangelism, gospel, Uncategorized, worship
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Genesis Two portrays the kingdom of God in its original harmony. God creates man in his own image and places him in His kingdom, a garden-temple, in which Adam offers priestly service to God by extending the garden-temple throughout creation through order and beauty and dominion in the worship of God. God graciously gives Adam a wife with whom he partners in his priestly duties of extending the kingdom of God. All is in harmony, God with man, man with the world, and man with woman. There is only one restriction in the Garden/temple......

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01
Aug 2016

The Gospel for the City in Genesis 1

Church, evangelism, gospel, grace of God, humankind, Jesus Christ, salvation, sin, social issues
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In Genesis One we find our Redeemer-King creating and forming a world to be inhabited and ruled by those made in His image. Creation was a gracious blessing and generous gift to humankind. All was perfect; all was glorious.  But, as we read Genesis one, we realize that the harmonious world conditions therein no longer exist. Our hearts are not in unison with God’s repeated summary, “all is good.” Instead our hearts cry out because of the brokenness within our lives and within the created world. Though Genesis One provides for us the origin of God’s World, it......

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25
Jul 2016

Discussion Questions on Ephesians 2:1-10

Uncategorized
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(Eph. 2:1-10 ESV) Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–  3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the......

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