'salvation' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’” vss. 1-2 Job 38:1-3 The book of Job represents our faith ancestors’ best effort to deal with the injustice of human suffering. It’s a powerful story, one that has been told and retold hundreds of times by succeeding generations. Again and again in the story Job’s friends tell him to acknowledge his guilt, something he refuses to do. For chapter after…
Daily Devotions
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” vss. 31-32 John 12:27-33 John presents the basic outline of Jesus’ suffering and death in pretty much the same way as the other gospel writers, but the tone is entirely different. While the other three give the gruesome details of a horrible death, for John this is…
Daily Devotions
Ephesians 1:11-14 “In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit…” vs. 13 For many believers these words are linked to the Rite of Baptism as practiced by some of our congregations. After the washing with water and the laying on of hands, the officiant proclaims, “__________, child of God, you have been sealed with the Holy…
Daily Devotions
Jeremiah 31:7-14 “For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’” vs. 7 Jeremiah is typically thought of as a prophet of doom, one who continually warns Judah and Jerusalem of the catastrophic consequences of their current behaviors. But in this portion of his sayings he has nothing but salvation on his mind. He believes…
Daily Devotions
1 Corinthians 1:3-9 “for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind…so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” vss. 5, 7 Paul begins his letter to the church at Corinth with glowing words of affirmation. From his perspective, since they live under grace, they lack nothing–there is no need for them to worry about their salvation. We should…
Daily Devotions
Romans 3:24-28 … “For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vs. 28 Martin Luther spent decades trying to gain assurance of salvation by bringing his stubborn, subversive flesh into line with the works of the law. Since he couldn’t do it he was forever wracked with guilt, and greatly damaged his health in the process. But when in the course of studying the book of Romans he realized that justification…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 46:6-11 … “The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vss. 6-7 We don’t know exactly when the psalmist composed this hymn, but we can guess from what is said that it must have been a time of considerable unrest, perhaps in its way not too different from what we’re experiencing. We can certainly resonate with his…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 3:4b-9 … “More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…” vs. 8 When Paul, the zealous credentialed Pharisee, was encountered by the Risen Christ, the trajectory of his life changed completely. It wasn’t that he’d been a shameful sinner, he’d in fact lived a…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 2:4-13 … “Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” vs. 12 These words from Paul to the Philippians have been much debated through the centuries. If salvation is by grace and a gift from God, what might it mean for them to “work out (their) own salvation with fear and trembling?” Obviously reactions to…
Daily Devotions
Romans 13:11-14 … “The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;” vs. 12 There are some who believe that we are drawing near to the apocalypse, that humanity is teetering on the edge of calamity and that destruction awaits. It would seem that Paul was looking toward the same end, that the day of reckoning was near. But gloom was not what he…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 51:4-6 … “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.” vs. 6 The people of the prophet’s day worried about their continuing existence and the prophet affirms their concerns. The heavens will vanish and the earth…
Daily Devotions
Romans 10:12-15 … “And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” vs. 15 Paul knew that salvation was for all without distinction. Both Jews and Gentiles were loved by God and lived under the umbrella of grace. For him this was incredible good news, and his biggest lament was that so many simply didn’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. He believed…