If God’s grace is the Pacific Ocean, most of our life is spent happily paddling around a 3-foot plastic kiddie pool. It doesn’t have to be that way. In his book, Transforming Grace, Jerry Bridges expounds on 10 proofs that we don’t understand God’s grace. Here are five of them, with my comments. First, you … Continue reading Make sure you understand God’s grace
Category: 2015 Column
Following Jesus is not complicated. In his final instructions to Titus, Paul wrote, “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.” The first simple truth we see in this is that leadership is important. Titus had been … Continue reading Simple truth in action
Last week in this column I talked about the importance of steering clear of divisive doctrines, as we are instructed in Paul’s letter to Titus. One of the main reasons we must do that is because those who embrace divisive doctrines in the church will become divisive people. We are to be “eager to maintain … Continue reading Church discipline remains vital
Do angels have wings? And speaking of angels, how many of them could dance on the head of a pin? Did Adam and Eve have a pet? Will there be baseball in heaven? You’ve heard the story of the two men who argued about that, and then one died. A week later, he visited his … Continue reading Avoid foolish controversies
Paul wrote to Titus that Jesus Christ gave Himself for us for three reasons: to redeem us from sin, to purify a people for Himself and to make us zealous for good works. He could have said, “make us zealots for good works,” because it’s the same Greek word. Zealots in that time were crazed … Continue reading Do good works for the right reasons
A family was vacationing at the lake. Dad was puttering around in the boathouse. Two of his sons, a 12-year old and a 3-year old were playing along the dock. The older brother was supposed to be watching little Billy, but he got distracted, as older brothers sometimes do. Billy took that opportunity to go … Continue reading He came to make those who were His enemies His heirs
J. Mark Fox 