Without Christ, we were slaves of sin, slaves to the evil impulses of our fallen human nature. We lived in a self-centered way, pleasing ourselves instead of living to the glory of God. The unavoidable result of this spiritual slavery was death, because the wages of sin is death. But Jesus came to proclaim liberty … Continue reading –>
John the Baptist described Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, NKJV). This image was easy for any Israelite familiar with the sacrifices offered in the temple and the sacred history recorded in the Old Testament to understand. Abraham had revealed his faith that God will … Continue reading –>
A simple reading of the Gospels shows that we owe our salvation entirely to God. Jesus did not come to this world because we invited Him, but because the Father, out of love for us, sent Him. The Father’s initiative is confirmed by Christ’s frequent use of the phrase He who sent Me and the … Continue reading –>
In John 3:16 two verbs are used to describe what God did for our salvation. How do these verbs relate to each other? What do they reveal regarding the origin of our salvation? The English verb to love, especially the casual way it is often used today, is totally inadequate to express the depth of … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 18:9-14; John 6:44; Luke 15:3-10; Matt. 20:28; John 8:34-36; John 6:35, John 6:47-51. Memory Text: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16, NKJV). Death, we often say, is just … Continue reading –>
I’m a fourth-generation Adventist in the Czech Republic, the second-most atheistic country in Europe. Going to church was part of my life, like grocery shopping and eating. I enjoyed church because I had friends there, but I didn’t have a relationship with God. I had developed a rather twisted picture of God. Many other young … Continue reading –>
Further Study: Ellen G. White, The Power Promised, p. 19-23, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8; The Gift of the Spirit, p. 47-56, in The Acts of the Apostles. At all times and in all places, in all sorrows and in all afflictions, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we … Continue reading –>
No doubt, it is important to know who the Holy Spirit is. But this knowledge would be pointless unless it leads us to completely open our lives to be filled with Him. Jesus made it clear that if we fail to invite the presence of the heavenly Guest to abide in us daily, there is … Continue reading –>
We have already mentioned the important role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the incarnated Christ and in the inspiration of Scripture. Let us focus now on what Jesus taught about the Spirit’s work for our salvation. What indispensable work does the Holy Spirit do in order to prepare us to accept the … Continue reading –>
When Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit to the disciples, He called Him another Helper (John 14:16). The Greek word Jesus used for another is allos, which means another of the same kind, in contrast with heteros, another of different kind or quality. The same likeness of nature that bonds the Father and the Son is … Continue reading –>
