Romans 8:1-2

THESE ARE THE TIMES that try men's souls. The Spirit has spoken expressly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Those days are upon us and we cannot escape them; we must triumph in the midst of them, for such is the will of God concerning us.

Strange as it may seem, the danger today is greater for the fervent Christian than...

For Reading and Meditation:     John 8:21-36

We saw yesterday that the phenomenon of catharsis comes about not simply through telling someone else our troubles, but when that other person is a warm, accepting and understanding individual. Psychologists believe the explanation for this to be the fact that the warm, accepting manner of the helper is so directly...

For Reading and Meditation:     Romans 7:14-8:4

Yesterday we ended by saying that God can impart purity as well as impute it, and He then helps us apply it in our daily life and experience. Permit me to share my own personal experience in this connection, not as a model for you to follow, but simply to illustrate how God revealed Himself to me. Following my...

For Reading and Meditation:     Acts 15:1-21

Salvation is the word Christians use to describe the experience of sins being forgiven and receiving the gift of eternal life. Conversion is the word to describe the way we enter into that experience. Other religions also use the word conversion, but usually what they mean by it is the act of changing from one religion...

For Reading and Meditation:     Philippians 2:1-11

We are reflecting on the fact that the Christian faith is not just a little better than other faiths but radically different. Religion is mankind's search for God; Christianity, however, is God's search for man. Therefore there are many religions, but only one gospel. Religion is the word become word; the gospel is...

For Reading and Meditation:     Micah 4:6-13

Yesterday we ended with the statement: "Ultimately, the problems and difficulties of life are all spiritual." What exactly does this mean? Reflect again on the psalmist's problem. He says to himself: "Why does God allow the ungodly to prosper and the godly to go through great trials and tribulations?" He has trouble as...

Come, my soul, think thou of this. Believing in Jesus, thou art actually and effectually cleared from guilt; thou art led out of thy prison. Thou art no more in fetters as a bond-slave; thou art delivered now from the bondage of the law; thou art freed from sin, and canst walk at large as a freeman, thy Saviour's blood has procured thy full discharge. Thou hast a right now to approach thy Father's throne. No flames of vengeance are there to scare thee now; no fiery sword; justice cannot...

To them which are in Christ Jesus. Think it not a strange expression. It is well chosen. Faith in Christ, union to Christ, and similar expressions, mean much more than can easily be comprehended. The expression "them which are in Christ" is added, that we may not too soon think we understand the others. In Christ, as Noah was in the ark. Without, the besom of condemnation swept the universal face of things; but there was no condemnation to him who had fled for refuge to that sanctuary. In...

Romans 8:1-14

Someone says that if the Bible is compared to a ring, and the Epistle to the Romans be it precious stone, the eighth chapter would be the sparkling point of the jewel. It is one of the most precious chapters in all the Scriptures. It begins with no condemnation, and ends with no separation...