The Love Of God

How to fight back and win...everytime

“When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares that we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus: ‘I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation? By no means. For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where he is, there I shall be also.’”

Martin Luther, writing to Jerome Weller, quoted in Theodore G. Tappert, editor, Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel (Philadelphia, 1955), pages 86-87.

The Prodigal

Well worth your time.

How Being Saved by Grace Frees Us to Share the Gospel

From Tim Keller...

The gospel produces a constellation of traits in us:

1. We are compelled to share the gospel out of love.
2. We are freed from the fear of being ridiculed or hurt by others, since we already have the favor of God by grace.
3. There is a humility in our dealings with others, because we know we are saved only by grace, not because of our superior insight or character.
4. We are hopeful about anyone, even the “hard cases,” because we were saved only because of grace ourselves.
5. We are courteous and careful with people. We don’t have to push or coerce them, for it is God’s grace that opens hearts, not our eloquence or persistence or even their openness.

Is Jesus The Only Way?

The question about Jesus being the only way often functions as a gotcha question or a dead end to fruitful dialogue. Here is apologist Greg Koukl doing a wonderful job answering the question.

Are you a real friend?

From Justin Taylor:

Here’s a very helpful two-part blog post from Keith Simon, giving biblically grounded practical wisdom on the nature of true friendship and criticism, building off of Proverbs 27:6: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

The first post explores the paradox that, according to this verse, we can often confuse a friend and an enemy. Keith gives some excellent counsel on how to approach someone with correction.

The second post explores why we often refuse to correct. He also suggests a humble and helpful thing to say to a few close friends (or spouse, or children, or parents):

I know that this sounds crazy but I really trust you and value your perspective. So I want to invite you to share things with me that will be difficult for me to hear. When (not if) you see sin in my life that you don’t think that I’m aware of, please point it out to me. When (not if) you see me making mistakes with my kids or my spouse, please tell me. Everything is fair game. Nothing is off limits.

I wish that I could promise that I would immediately respond with humility and repentance but that might not always be true. But I will promise that I won’t hold your comments against you and let it ruin our friendship. I want you to know that I will see your willingness to say hard things to me as a sign that you are a real friend and not an enemy giving false or superficial praise.

Both posts are well worth reading.

Listen and Worship

All I Have Is Christ from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.