You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand … [Read more...] about The Passion of the Kingdom
grace
The Mercy of the Kingdom
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."Matthew 5:7 Mercy and grace are two sides of the same coin. We have often defined mercy as "not receiving the judgement that we deserve" and grace as "receiving a blessing that we do not deserve." In both cases, the definition of mercy and grace imply that they are not something that is deserved or can be earned. In … [Read more...] about The Mercy of the Kingdom
The Poverty of the Kingdom
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:1-3 The crowds gathered around from all over. From as far away as Damascus, a wealthy trading post along the Fertile Crescent, outside of … [Read more...] about The Poverty of the Kingdom
In Christ Jesus
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement … [Read more...] about In Christ Jesus
The Price We Earn
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) The dirty little secret that we all carry deep down inside of us is the simple fact that we are all sinners. We have all transgressed the law of the holy, omnipotent, and sovereign God. However, our pride leads us to rationalize our sin and minimize it in our … [Read more...] about The Price We Earn