God's benevolence is the foundation of our salvation, freely given despite our guilt, offering grace and mercy instead of deserved punishment. He owes us nothing, yet provides life, hope, and endless blessings, renewed daily, as seen in His covenantal kindness (hesed) enduring for generations. His love, shown through Christ's sacrifice for sinners, demonstrates unmatched generosity, pouring out grace on all, just and unjust alike. This kindness, reflected in Joseph's actions toward his brothers, seeks to lead us to repentance, sustaining us with every good gift from above. Without His benevolence, there would be no creation, calling, or hope, as His unchanging, faithful love continually revives and empowers us through faith.

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Living By Faith and God's Grace

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

God's benevolence shines forth as the cornerstone of our salvation, a gift unearned and freely bestowed despite our guilt and disobedience. His grace, intertwined with righteousness, underpins His purpose for us, offering mercy where justice would demand penalty. He owes us nothing, yet He grants life, hope, and a promise of something far greater than our current state. Through His calling and election, predetermined before any merit on our part, He ensures that no work of ours can claim credit for salvation. His steadfast love, reflected in the Old Testament concept of hesed, reveals a faithful, patient, and covenantal kindness that endures for a thousand generations, far surpassing the fleeting span of His punishments. This lovingkindness manifests as a continuous flow of blessings, renewed every morning, providing not just forgiveness but also wisdom, protection, and every need for our spiritual journey. From the fullness of Jesus Christ, described as full of grace, we receive grace upon grace, an endless supply of beneficent gifts that empower us to overcome and glorify Him. Without this divine benevolence, there would be no creation, no calling, no justification, and no hope of salvation.

How God Deals With Conscience (Part Four)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The benevolence of Joseph toward his brothers, as seen in Genesis 43, mirrors the greater benevolence of our God and Jesus Christ. Joseph reassured his brothers about their money, released Simeon from prison, provided water for their feet and food for their donkeys, spoke kindly to them, and hosted an elegant feast, demonstrating respect and hospitality. This reflects how God pours out His blessings on all, regardless of their sins, as a means to lead them to repentance. God owes humanity nothing, yet He did not immediately condemn Adam and Eve to the grave after their sin, nor did He later commit mankind to eternal death. Instead, He continually bestows His grace upon men and women, even before their conversion. As Romans 2:4 questions, do we despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that His goodness leads us to repentance? By nature, humans often show contempt for God's kindness, yet it is this very kindness that seeks to bring us to repentance. God's love is extraordinary, poured out on all persons, whether evil or good, just or unjust, as Christ stated in Matthew 5:45, that He makes His sun rise on all and sends rain on all. This grace culminates in the ultimate act of love described in Romans 5:6-8, where Christ died for the ungodly, for sinners living in rebellion against God, demonstrating a love beyond human comparison. This act of sacrifice was not for the righteous but for the unrighteous, motivated by both the Father's and the Son's love. The death of Jesus Christ proves and commends God's unfathomable love in a manner that appeals to the heart, urging us to repent of our sins. This demonstration of love is not a past event but a present reality, continually issued from God, as relevant today as ever. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of lights, as James 1:17 affirms, underscoring that all we have and are is from God's hand. Despite this, God often must awaken our consciences to turn us from ingratitude, persistently working to expose sin and bring healing, just as He did with Joseph's brothers, using various means to lead them to acknowledge His presence and mercy.

Living by Faith: God's Grace (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God's benevolence is the cornerstone of our spiritual salvation, freely given and entirely unmerited. His grace, a divine assistance, is not compelled or obligated but is an act of His inherent nature to give, love, and save. He owes us nothing but death due to our sins, yet He chooses to bestow grace because of His character as a generous giver. This unearned gift is evident in both physical and spiritual realms, sustaining us with essentials like air and water, and offering hope for a far greater future. His kindness and mercy are boundless, as seen in His great love that revives us even when we are dead in trespasses, raising us up with Christ Jesus. By His grace, we are saved through faith, a gift not of ourselves but from Him, ensuring that no one can boast. His benevolence extends to calling and electing individuals before they have done any works, purely based on His mercy and purpose, as illustrated in the choices of Jacob over Esau. God's grace empowers us to live a new life in Christ, providing spiritual gifts and understanding through His Spirit, which are not innate but freely given. He continues to offer more grace to overcome challenges, resisting the proud but uplifting the humble. His covenant love, reflected in the Hebrew term chesed, signifies steadfast kindness, mercy, and faithfulness, evident in His commitment to Israel and His enduring mercy for thousands of generations. His character, unchanging and compassionate, is the foundation of our hope, as His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness never fails. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever, promising never to leave or forsake us, giving gifts not because we deserve them but because of His boundless love and generosity.

Living By Faith and God's Grace (Part Two)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

God's benevolence is revealed most fully through grace, a term the apostles filled with spiritual meaning far beyond its secular sense of gifted or influential people. While secular usage emphasized physical gifts received, biblical usage emphasizes spiritual gifts given by God to enable recipients to meet His requirements, overcome, and grow into His image. Grace flows from the Father through the Son to humanity, with Jesus Christ as the supreme expression of the Father's benevolence and the God-ordained means through which it reaches us, as seen in John's declaration that from Christ's fullness we receive grace upon grace, a continuous provision for every circumstance. This benevolence is never earned, owed, or given as a reward; Romans 4:4 makes clear that wages are not counted as grace but as debt, so God's giving flows entirely from His character and purpose rather than obligation. This gracious nature is demonstrated in the empowerment given through the Holy Spirit, promised in John 14, whereby both Father and Son personally involve themselves in the believer's spiritual creation, and confirmed in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8, which link this gift directly with power. Titus 2:11-15 broadens grace into a comprehensive term describing the entire ministry of Christ—salvation, redemption, teaching, hope, and inspiration to live godly lives—continuously flowing like the manna, cloud, and fire that sustained Israel. Matthew 5:43-45 illustrates God's daily, active generosity toward all, righteous and unrighteous alike, revealing His nature and setting an example for His children, whom He now prepares with purposeful wisdom for His Kingdom, assuring them through I Corinthians 10:13 that He will not allow testing beyond what they can bear. God's benevolence is displayed most strikingly in justification, where sinners rather than the morally meritorious are declared righteous. Romans 5:8-10 shows that while we were still sinners and enemies, Christ died for us, demonstrating love and reconciling us to God. Justification must come by faith rather than works, for works-based justification would invite pride to distort the relationship, as Satan's pride once corrupted his relationship with God. Abraham exemplifies this: declared righteous by faith before circumcision or law-keeping, showing that justification is purely God's gracious response to trust, not ethnicity or works. Yet Genesis 26:4-5 and Galatians 2:15-21 confirm that this gift does not license sin; rather, being justified by faith commits the believer to die to the old life and live obediently to God, since character is not transferred by fiat but formed through relationship with Him. Romans 5:1-2 and I Peter 5:12 affirm that believers now stand in this grace, occupying a wholly different spiritual position than before—no longer under sin, death, or Satan's dominion. This benevolence, unbidden and continuous, represents far more than forgiveness; it is a multitude of empowerments freely bestowed so that humanity might ultimately share eternity with the One who gave them.

No Real Love Without God

Sermon by John O. Reid

The world today is driven not by love, but by Satan's way of living, marked by greed, hatred, lust, and self-seeking—the way of get, the way of self. What the world truly needs is not the fleeting, worldly idea of love or the passionate entanglements of youth, but the true love of man reflected across all mankind, bringing peace, harmony, joy, happiness, fulfillment, purpose, and brotherly love to heal this entire world. A lack of this true love reveals a deeper void, for hatred, animosity, greed, and wrath stem from another source: the prince of the power of the air. Those who fail to reflect God's love in their lives do not know Him, regardless of their knowledge of Scripture. In the end times, as lawlessness abounds, the love of many will grow cold, influenced by cruelty, persecutions, betrayals, and false teachings. This crumbling world, coupled with brethren drifting apart or losing zeal, puts pressure on us to abandon the fervor of our first love. The danger lies not in a lack of knowledge or understanding, but in a lack of application of what we know we should be doing. A lack of confidence or persistent fear—of job loss, illness, the economy, wars, or the unknown—demonstrates that our love and trust in God are not as complete as they should be. Perfect love casts out fear, and we must work to perfect our love, faith, and trust in Him, knowing He will help us. If we harbor hatred toward our spouses, fellow workers, or others, we do not possess the love of God. The world fails to grasp the depth of love Jesus desires from His disciples. Like the Ephesian era of the church, we risk losing our first love by focusing on the details of our calling while drifting from imitating the heart of Jesus Christ in our relationships with family, church members, and neighbors. We must not let down in maintaining a humble, serving attitude essential for those God selects for His Kingdom. True love requires active belief, not mere acknowledgment, prompting us to grow, apply His teachings, and move toward perfection without harboring grudges or anger toward others begotten by God.

Goodness

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

'Good' is a term we use very loosely, yet it is a major characteristic of God. It is defined in terms of what God is: absolute goodness.

Fear the Lord's Goodness!

'Ready Answer' by Martin G. Collins

There is an aspect of God's goodness that is rarely associated with goodness. As surprising as it may seem, God's goodness can be feared!

Titus (Part Seven): Maintaining Good Works

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Even though we are not justified by good works, good works are the honing process with which God perfects us in the life-long process of sanctification.

Grace Upon Grace

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Forgiveness is only the beginning of the grace process, enabling us to grow to the stature of Christ. Paradoxically, grace puts us under obligation to obey.

According to the Blessing

Sermonette by John W. Ritenbaugh

Because we do not have an abundance of material blessings, we are gently forced to go back to Almighty God for our sustenance, much the same way as Israel.

The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Kindness goes hand-in-hand with love. It is an active expression of love toward God and fellow man, produced through the power of God's Spirit.

Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part Eight)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The husband is commanded to love his wife as his own body, regarding her as precious and delicate, continually nourishing and protecting her.

Psalm 23 (Part Two)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Sheep are the most dependent on their owner for their well-being. From the viewpoint of the sheep, the quality of care of the shepherd is of utmost importance.

Passover and I Corinthians 10

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like the Old Testament examples, the Corinthians had a careless presumption, allowing themselves to lust, fornicate, tempt God, and murmur.