Playlist: Divine Nature (topic)

listen:

The Nature of God: Elohim

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Understanding Elohim teaches us about the nature of God and where our lives are headed. Elohim refers to a plural family unit in the process of expanding.


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus referred to His Father as 'My God,' indicating that They do not share equality, preeminence, or superiority. They are equal in kind, but one is subordinate.


The Holy Spirit

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Theologians, misapplying grammatical gender and personification, falsely deduce a phantom third person, propped up by a spurious insertion (I John 5:7-8).


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Holy Spirit is never venerated as a separate being. Our hope is the indwelling of Christ, used interchangeably with 'Spirit of God' and 'Spirit of Truth.'


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Although Christ is not the Absolute Deity, He is nevertheless the complement of the Father. He had a pre-existence as the God of the Old Testament.


In The Likeness of Men!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Jesus was subjected to the same experiences as the rest of us, having the appearance, experiences, the capability of receiving injury and suffering temptation.


Hebrews (Part Five): Who Was Jesus?

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

In Hebrews, we learn that Jesus is the only- begotten Son, creator and heir of all things, the express image of God's person, and has purged our sins.


Holiness (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

To appropriate the name of God means to represent His attributes, character and nature. Our behavior must imitate Christ just as Christ revealed God the Father.


The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God's Spirit is the essence of His mind rather than a third person. With this Spirit, God opens our minds, dwells in us, and transfers His nature to us.


Image and Likeness of God (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The numerous scriptural references to angelic beings indicate that the spiritual entities have tangible substance. God is not a universal nothingness.


Image and Likeness of God (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus did not take on a different shape or form when He was transfigured. Taking on the image of the heavenly does not vaporize one into shapeless essence.


What Does God Really Want? (Part 6)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God provides the gift before it is actually needed so that when it is needed, everything is prepared for the person to do as he has been commissioned to do.


The High Christology of Colossians

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

High Christology as a doctrinal stance was not enough to prevent the eventual apostasy of those in Asia Minor. Doctrine must produce the right conduct.


Sin (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Though influenced by Satan and the world, sin is still a personal choice. Christ's sacrifice and God's Spirit provide our only defense against its pulls.


Hebrews (Part One): The Stage Is Set

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Early converts from Judaism claimed to accept the Law but had difficulty accepting the Lawgiver. Today, many claim to accept Christ, but will not accept His Law.


Philippians (Part Four)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Paul teaches that individual overcoming in lowliness of mind, putting others ahead of self, leads to the whole body being strengthened.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Thirteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

As we participate in the New Covenant, we go through the stages of justification, sanctification, and ultimately glorification as part of Christ's body.


The Seed of Eternal Life

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Paul provided a decaying kernel of grain as a metaphor of death and resurrection, indicating that the new spirit body will be a completely different body.


From Dust to Glory

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Clyde Finklea

As our sanctification process comes to full term, we will see our Creator as He is, having attained the same glorified state.


The Third Commandment: Idolatry

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

In the the Third Commandment, God's name describes His character, attributes, and nature. If we bear God's name, we must reflect His image and His character.


Going On to Perfection

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Even though everything we need in this quest has been given to us, our spiritual growth depends on believing in the promises of receiving the divine nature.


Purpose-Driven Churches (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Despite the growing popularity of Purpose-Driven churches, national immorality is still increasing. The 'emerging church' grows numerically by suppressing truth.


Philippians (Part Five)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ, through His voluntary humility, has given us a model of the mindset that we need to have in order to attain membership in the family of God.


Our Awesome Destiny (2000)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Through a miraculous combination of knowledge plus the spirit of God, we realize that our destiny is to be a part of the divine Family.


Remember When

Sermonette by Clyde Finklea

God wants us to remember when we were called out of bondage into virtue, when He gave us the power of His Holy Spirit to do what ancient Israel could not.


The Sixth Commandment

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus magnifies the Law in Matthew 5, moving beyond the behavior into the motivating thought behind the deed, warning that we do not retaliate in kind.


Faith Overcomes the World

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

As we attempt to overcome the world, we soon realize that we battle against invisible principalities, requiring us to form a close relationship with Christ.


New Covenant Priesthood (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Old Testament activities picture New Testament realities, elevated to their spiritual intent. The church has been chosen as a royal and holy priesthood.


God's Workmanship (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Works are not the cause of salvation, but instead are the effect of God's creative efforts at bringing us into His image—a new creation.


Forms vs. Spirituality (Part 3)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God's holy law gives love its foundation, stability, and evenness, preventing it from degenerating into a sappy, sentimental feeling.


Government (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Our attitude toward government must be one of submission. The church cannot perform its function without the cooperation of the carnal civil governments.


Hebrews (Part Nine)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

After the change from the Aaronic to the Melchizedek priesthood, it was also necessary to change the Covenant. The flaw was not the law, but the heart.