As long as this current world remains, the power of earthly politics never has been, and never will be the hope of God’s people. We don’t owe it to Caesar to give him that much credit.
Either you’ll receive the Son, and be made right with the true master of the vineyard. Or you’ll repel him, and you'll try to be the master.
Jesus comes humbly, as a suffering servant. He uniquely comes as a righteous representative for humanity, bringing salvation to a ruined people.
They are not forgiven only—not only have their infinite sins been blotted out, but they are made righteous. They are not only made innocent, as if they had done no sin, but righteous, as if they had fulfilled all righteousness. All that Christ did and suffered is counted theirs.
The fact that God declares us to be righteous with the unshakeable righteousness of Christ, all through faith – it is an incredible gift.
Let’s follow in the faith of Abraham, and let’s look to the one God has provided to save us, and to raise us.
This section of history vividly demonstrates how God saves his people: He graciously calls his people out of sin, into his blessing, into faith, and into worship.
The right attitude of the Christian should never be “God shows me grace, so I can keep sinning!” Instead, the right attitude that we see here is “God shows me grace, so I can keep obeying!”
Even if we abandoned our houses and bodies and brains and our playthings, and we stooped down to take on the form of pond scum – even then, we would not have humbled ourselves as much as Jesus Christ did.
Background Over the past few weeks, we’ve been considering the words of the prophet, Haggai, who was sent by God to the Jewish people. The Jews had rebelled against God…
The presence of God with sinners like us, to bless us and to rebuild us, is what guarantees the success of our spiritual work.
Do you believe the prophets? Do you believe in the power of God to raise the dead?
God’s free grace doesn’t excuse us from pursuing goodness, but God’s free grace is actually what establishes and incentivizes good conduct in God’s people.
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing.