How Human Nature Came to Be
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughWhy is human nature so corrupt? Why is it so widespread? How did it come to be? Did God create it this way?
Human Nature: Good or Evil?
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughProgressives tend to believe that human nature is perfectible and evolving. Conservatives tend to believe that human nature is evil and must be controlled.
Are Humans Good or Evil?
'Ready Answer' by Richard T. RitenbaughPhilosophy debates whether human beings are by nature good or evil, but the Bible is consistent—and perhaps surprising—in its description of man's nature.
Living by Faith: Human Pride
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughOur human nature is pure vanity with a heart that is desperately deceitful and wicked, motivated by self-centeredness, a deadly combination for producing sin.
Preternatural, Natural, Unnatural, Supernatural (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod, before He created Adam and Eve, preternaturally planned the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save humanity from the curse of sin and death.
Preternatural, Natural, Unnatural, Supernatural (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reiterating that the adjective preternatural refers to 1.) something beyond nature and to 2.) something well-planned in advance, maintains that God intended the majority of human beings to be saved. When we measure the ripple effect of all the sins committed from the time of Adam and Eve until now, we realize …
Evil Is Real (Part Four)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughVanquish the sins at their point of origin—the human heart—and our deeds will be clean before God.
On Self-Righteousness
CGG Weekly by John W. RitenbaughSelf-righteousness lies at the root of many other sins. Because we are self-centered, self-righteousness will follow as surely as water runs downhill.
Is the Christian Required To Do Works? (Part Two)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughJust as a dead person does no works, so a faith that does not include works is also dead. A person in whom living, saving faith exists will produce works.
Communication and Coming Out of Babylon (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh suggests that we are highly susceptible to negative attitudes from satanic spirit sources. As God and angels are spirit forces, so Satan and his demons are both invisible and immaterial. Words are the medium through which spiritual concepts become lodged in our cerebral cortex. Percepts become concepts through …
Communication and Leaving Babylon (Part Two)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughHumanity finds itself inhabiting a world that is the place of restraint for untold numbers of malevolent spirits, all of whom hate God and desire to destroy mankind. John Ritenbaugh reiterates that our human nature reflects these spirits' attitudes, and the only way to overcome it is through God's creating a new heart in us by …
God Works in Marvelous Ways (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's mysteries have been in plain sight from the beginning of time, but carnality has obscured them from mankind.
Leadership and Covenants (Part Seven)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughOur sinful nature drives us to disobey God's laws, just as Adam and Eve transgressed by choosing the way of death. Such choices have made this evil world.
Some Things in Common
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the proclivity of standard, carnal human nature installed in every human being, regardless of social class, ethnic group, gender, race, etc., provides an insight as to why revolutions hardly ever succeed. When the so-called 'downtrodden' underclass gets the upper hand, they become a clone of the …
Sin (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThough 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.
Sin (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThoughts, words, or behaviors not in alignment with the mind of God are also violations against God's law. Foolishness should never be part of our conduct.
Sin (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThough relatively neutral at its inception, human nature is subject to a deadly magnetic pull toward self-centeredness, deceit, and sin.
Philippians (Part 8)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, pointing out the Apostle Paul's contention that any righteousness or morality attained by our own law keeping falls short of the righteousness required for salvation, asserts that only the righteousness of Christ attained through faith will pass muster. Unlike man's limiting, myopic, self-centered righteousness, …
Preparing to Rule!
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughHave you ever considered what it will be like right after Christ returns? What will you do, as a king, to help and govern the people placed under you?
Preparing To Rule
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reminding us that God has chosen the weak and base things to confound the wise (I Corinthians 1:26), suggests that many of those currently holding governmental power are exponentially wiser than God's called-out ones in terms of technological expertise. Yet, they are total failures when it comes to stopping …
God Works in Mysterious Ways (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFor His Own reasons, God has chosen not to reveal His plan to those the world considers wise, but, instead, to work with the weaker sort of mankind.
Justice and Grace
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSometimes we are disturbed, even angered, because an act of God seems unfair. We have difficulty because we do not understand holiness, justice, sin, and grace.
Self-Government (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh suggests that carnal hostility to God's law may be one contributory factor for the extreme difficulty that people have responding to government. The key to a positive attitude toward government seems to be the learning of self-government or self-control. The root word from which the English word …
Conviction to Godly Righteousness
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughReal repentance and conviction of righteousness should dramatically augment prayer, study, meditation, but most importantly, how we live our lives.
Elements of Motivation (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughEven though sin offers fleeting pleasure, we must learn to intensely hate sin, regarding this product of Satan as a destroyer of everything God loves.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Eleven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh affirms that the New Covenant of Hebrews 8:8 was given to Israel and Judah, not to the Gentiles. God does not deviate from this pattern; Israel is still involved with the New Covenant. It is not the physical nation, but the spiritual remnant (partly composed of grafted-in Gentiles- Romans 11:17-25 and the church …
Communication and Leaving Babylon (Part One)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughWe are open to invisible communication from the spirit world—communication designed to conform us to the course of this world. Recognizing it is vital.
