Money for Forgiveness
Monday, November 3rd, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
A number of questions regarding the current teaching was submitted last week. I’d like to address one here:
Does the Roman Catholic church today believe in taking money to in exchange for forgiveness of sins?
In my understanding, this is not an overt doctrine of the RCC. However, given their system of salvation (process justification—as Dan has pointed out), almsgiving is seen as one of many “bricks” in one’s road toward justification. Whereas we believe that the Bible teaches that one’s forgiveness of sins is a one-time event (forensic justification), we would hold that giving money to the church or to the poor would be as a RESPONSE to forgiveness. Not as a means of forgiveness.
To make it more simple, the …
Read the full entry
Gospel Conversations: An Introduction
Sunday, September 7th, 2008 : By Hugh Williams
In today’s introductory “Gospel Conversations” class, I outline our approach.
What is the Gospel?
How do I explain it to others?
How do I answer their challenges, objections, and questions?
Next week, we’ll dig into the first question by getting a clear picture of the nature of God and the nature of man. This will set the stage for a discussion of sin and the Fall, and from there, the nature of Christ and His unique role as reconciler.
Gospel Conversations: The Home Game
If you’d like to play along at home, you can do the homework assignment I handed out yesterday. (I’m looking into what it will take to get the audio online as there have been numerous requests.) First, answer for yourself whether you agree or …
Read the full entry
ChurchWorks: Who You Are, Part 3
Sunday, May 25th, 2008 : By Dan Miller
What do you picture when I say the word “identity?” Most often we think about a person in terms of their characteristics, a type of mental snapshot like tall, short, loud, quiet, harsh, gentle, etc. There are times we lump the identity of people together, and they form a type of group identity. Over the last two weeks, we have been working through characteristics that form the identity of a true Church. Today, we will discuss two more features in a God-owned church from I Thessalonians 1:8-10.
Read the full entry
ChurchWorks: Who You Are, Part 2
Sunday, May 18th, 2008 : By Dan Miller
We are in week 2 of our “Church Works” series. Last week we uncovered the dynamic that when we know who we are as a church we can live the way we were meant to live as a church. Today, we continue in considering what it means to be an authentic and, therefore, recognizable church. Are there signs of life that every church gives off? What are those bottom-line signs of life that any and every true church will display?
Today, we will point out these signs of life and in the process we will gain a greater understanding what it means to be a church.
Read the full entry
God Questions, Part 5
Sunday, April 27th, 2008 : By Leadership Team
God is a big topic and people have tons of questions so we asked people what were some “God Questions” they would like to see discussed. Today, we talk about “What happens to those people living on an island in the middle of the Pacific who will never hear about Jesus Christ?”
Read the full entry
The God Questions, Part 4
Sunday, April 20th, 2008 : By Leadership Team
God is a big topic and people have tons of questions so we asked people what were some “God Questions” they would like to see discussed. Today, we talk about “Why do you believe God even exists?”
Read the full entry
Save Us From What?
Sunday, March 16th, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
It was the Sunday before his crucifixion. The crowds, probably in anticipation of this Jesus who had raised Lazarus from the dead being the type of Messiah they longed for, thronged to the streets. As the crowds waved Palm branches, a chant began to be heard: “Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. This quote from the 118th Psalm clearly revealed that the people sought Jesus to “save” them. The question was then the same as it is now, “Save us from what?” The idea that we have to be rescued from some kind of danger has a different meaning in the Kingdom of Man than it does in the Kingdom of God. This …
Read the full entry
graceTALK, October 2006
Sunday, October 29th, 2006 : By Leadership Team
The Leadership Team answers your questions.
Q1 (1:38): Acknowledging that Christ is our only hope (not man or political parties) and that God is sovereign over all things, what is the view of the Grace Fellowship Leadership Team on the church’s role in politics or political activism? What Scriptures can you point us to in support of your answer?
Q2 (7:45): I have friends (christians) who think Halloween is of the devil and no Christian should have anything to do with it. I have other friends (also christians) who dress up and go door-to-door and think nothing of it. Which approach is right?
Q3 (20:52): The Bible speaks of the possibility of sin being passed on to several generations. …
Read the full entry
graceTALK, September 2004
Sunday, September 5th, 2004 : By Leadership Team
The Leadership Team answers your questions.
Q1 (2:07): Can you please explain what openness theology is? I heard people discussing it a couple of weeks ago, but was not in the service to hear the teaching.
Q2 (17:45): Who was it that Jacob wrestled with in Genesis 32? Was it an angel or God? Since Jacob was wrestling with God, would this simply have been an angel? Since the angel was from God, would it be like an analogy to Jacob’s overall life up until this point?
Q3 (27:39): I am struggling with developing consistency in my witness at work. I often feel unconfident and frankly embarressed to share my faith. …
Read the full entry
