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Regeneration

In Blog, Holy Spirit, Theology on
October 30, 2022

The Holy Ghost

Today is Halloween—the day where it’s all of a sudden acceptable to encourage your kids to stay out after dark and take candy from strangers. I grew up in a conservative, southern Baptist home, so I never really celebrated Halloween. I attended a handful of fall festivals in my childhood years, but I never went trick or treating, or walked through haunted houses, or decorated with spiderwebs and tombstones.

However, I once saw a Halloween decoration that I think my parents could get on board with. It was an outdoor sign made of different pieces of wood that were all painted in a variety of fall colors, and it read, “The only ghost that lives in this house is the Holy Ghost.”

The Holy Ghost, aka the Holy Spirit, can sometimes be a mystery to many believers. Who exactly is the Holy Spirit, and what exactly does He do in the world and in our daily, personal lives? Well, gang, it’s time to hop in the Mystery Machine and grab your Scooby Snacks because we’re about to discover that this Ghost is not as mysterious or daunting as He may seem.

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In Bible Study, Blog, John on
October 2, 2022

Once Saved, Always Saved?

When I was a young child, I would pray the sinner’s prayer every chance I got. I grew up attending a Southern Baptist church every Sunday, so I’ve witnessed many altar calls in my lifetime. As a child, I knew that I had put my faith in Jesus, and I knew that meant I was saved. But I didn’t feel saved. I felt like surely there had to be something more to salvation than just believing in Jesus. So, I kept praying the prayer, hoping that at some point it would click and I could feel assured that I really was saved. I wanted some big, flashy sign to tell me, “Yes, you are saved!”

Assurance of salvation is something that every Christian struggles with at one point or another. We see how sinful we still are, even after repenting and trusting in Jesus, and this causes us to wonder if our salvation experience really worked the first time. These feelings of doubt and insecurity often beg the question, “Once saved, always saved?”

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In Blog, Salvation, Theology on
September 11, 2022

The Transformation of Sanctification

I am a Christian, and I still struggle with sin.

Daily.

Like the Apostle Paul, I do sinful things that I don’t want to do, and I don’t do the things I know I ought to do (Romans 7:18-20). Such is the life of a Christian. Through the work of Christ, we’ve been made righteous in the eyes of the Father and we’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit, who gives us the desire and ability to obey God’s Word and do what is right. But all of us, even the godliest of saints, are still sinners. We still mess up and make mistakes. We hurt and offend people, and we disobey what’s written in the Scriptures. We say and do the wrong things, even if we have the best of intentions.

Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us this way. He doesn’t just save us and say sayonara, leaving us to fend for ourselves and figure out how to behave on our own until Jesus returns. No, God actively works in and through us every single day to make us more and more like Him through a process called sanctification.

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In 1 Corinthians, Bible Study, Blog on
June 6, 2022

Was “Homosexuality” Added to the Bible?

One of the biggest arguments in the Church today surrounds the topic of homosexuality. Is it a sinful practice that ought to be repented of? Is it an innate identity that ought to be celebrated? Christians on both sides of the aisle passionately fight for what they believe is right, and the debates about this topic can get pretty heated.

As Christians, we should be getting our cues on cultural issues from the Bible, not from some activist or ideologue on Twitter or TikTok. And the Bible seems pretty clear and straightforward on where it stands. However, many “gay-affirming Christians” claim that the Bible does not prohibit homosexuality. In fact, they argue that the word “homosexuality” was actually added into Scripture. Is this true? Was “homosexuality” added to the Bible?

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In Bible Study, Blog, Galatians on
October 7, 2019

Crucified with Christ

What makes up your identity? Perhaps you have blonde hair, brown hair, black hair, or red hair. Perhaps you are light-skinned or dark-skinned. Perhaps you have green eyes, or brown eyes, or blue eyes. Perhaps you are tall or short. Perhaps you’re quiet or outspoken. Perhaps you’re organized or you fly by the seat of your pants. Perhaps you like to read, or to cook, or to play an instrument, or to play a sport, or to care for animals, or to take pictures, or to write, or to create art, or to hike. Perhaps you’re a mother, sister, daughter, or friend. Perhaps you’re a Christian or just seeking more about what this Jesus thing is all about.

All these things make up our identity. They make up who we are. But those who are Christians have an identity that is far more important and valuable than their eye color or their favorite hobby.

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