'grace' Tagged Posts
When Should I Confront Sin in a Christian?
Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 18:15: “When your brother sins go and show him his fault in private.” The answer, then, to when to confront sin in a Christian is “when your brother sins.” But what sins do I confront in a fellow Christian? Do I confront some sins? All sins? Egregious sins? Ten Commandment-kind-of-sins? Let me gives three guidelines for what sins you should confront. 1. Public sins Open not closed; visible not invisible; objective not subjective;…
Providential Interruptions
In our culture, we plan to the max: our calendars are full, our checklists are long, and our goals are polished. Yet sometimes we are interrupted from our plans, checklists, and goals. The whole world has been interrupted by the virus we call COVID-19. Even as the pandemic rages, we experience small interruptions like our children’s mishaps, cancelled appointments, and technology that does not function when we need it to. So, how should we respond to interruptions in our lives?…
God’s Grace and Sovereignty in Troubled Times
Charles Spurgeon observes of 2 Kings 6:6 that no matter how many of life’s heavy burdens threaten to overwhelm us, we can take it to the Lord in prayer. Perhaps you are facing desperation in a relationship, job, or an unimaginable task that is just too heavy for you to bear, where are you to turn? Too often we only turn to prayer when we are in agony because our own abilities to resolve the situation to our liking has…
Doctrines of Power
At Grace Community Bible Church, we believe the Canons of Dordt are an accurate summary of what the Bible teaches about key doctrines regarding salvation. Sometimes the Canons of Dordt are referred to as the “Doctrines of Grace.” But I have always wondered how my Arminian friends feel about this title. Is their system not “doctrines of grace”? It wasn’t until a recent study of the Canons of Dordt, I found that it might be better to refer to the…
Four Hundred Years of Grace
Exactly four hundred years ago today, the Synod of Dordt ended. What was the Synod of Dordt and why does it matter for my life today? I’m glad you asked! The Synod of Dordt was an international church gathering of pastors, professors, and politicians that met in the Dutch city of Dordrecht from November 13, 1618 – May 29, 1619. The Synod convened primarily to deal with teaching that threatened the gospel of grace. And that’s why the Synod mattered—and…
Living by Grace in the Here and Now
Many parents often talk about the challenges of the “terrible 2’s.” Angry and inconsolable children who can only be left to cry in their cribs are definite examples of why it seems at times that you may be going crazy! For parents in that time of life, it may seem that these behaviors of their child aren’t normal or perhaps think that they are doing something wrong because otherwise this behavior wouldn’t be happening. Why do we tend to think…