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Living By Faith and God's Grace
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughGod gives grace from start to finish in a person's relationship with Him. It cannot be limited merely to justification and His forgiveness of our sins.
How God Deals With Conscience (Part Four)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsAt times, God has to ignite our conscience and undermine our self-confidence to get our attention in a similar fashion as he did to Joseph's brothers.
Living by Faith: God's Grace (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Grace implies empowerment for growth. It is the single most important aspect of our salvation, and His giving of it is completely unmerited on our part.
Living By Faith and God's Grace (Part Two)
'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh'Grace' is a term that represents God's awesome generosity toward us, His continuously flowing blessings and saving acts. It goes beyond just forgiveness.
No Real Love Without God
Sermon by John O. ReidThe love of God is the true essence of what the world desperately needs, a love that brings peace, harmony, joy, happiness, fulfillment, purpose, and brotherly affection to all mankind. This love, defined as agape, reflects God's willful direction toward humanity, always seeking what is best for us, even when it differs from our desires. As John 3:16 reveals, God so loved the world that He gave His Son as a sacrifice, not to fulfill human wants, but to meet our deepest need for justification and reconciliation with Him upon repentance. God's love is characterized by benevolence, a disposition to do good, marked by kindness, sympathy, and generosity in individual dealings, while His overarching plan is philanthropic on the grandest scale, aiming to elevate mankind into the Kingdom of God. This love originates from God Himself, reflecting His Spirit in us, and as we exhibit it, we take on the nature of our Father. Those who reflect this love show they are born of Him, while those who do not, regardless of their knowledge, fail to truly know God. The proof of God's love is evident in the world He has provided, where rain falls on the just and unjust alike, in His patience toward us, and most profoundly, in sending His Son as a sacrifice to reconcile us to Him. Even when we were ignorant of His ways and opposed to Him, He loved us and desired the best for us. As I John 3:16 states, we perceive God's love because He laid down His life for us, and in like manner, we are called to lay down our lives for the brethren, perfecting His love in us through active application toward others. Jesus taught in John 13:35 that love for one another identifies His disciples, serving as a sign of belonging to God, just as keeping the Sabbath does. Perfect love casts out fear, and as we grow in it, we take on His nature, gaining boldness to stand before Him. We love Him because He first loved us, and this love is not ours but God's love working through us, urging us to love our fellow man as the Father and Son love us. The greatest commandment, as Jesus declared, is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, submitting every faculty to His will and devoting ourselves to glorify Him by being like Him in all we do. The first four commandments show direct love to God, requiring us to honor Him above all else, rid ourselves of idols, represent His name with honor in every aspect of life, and keep the Sabbath as holy time to rest, study, and encourage one another. The second great commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves, extends this love to all around us—family, friends, countrymen, and even enemies—by seeking their good, refraining from harm, and showing kindness, even when their actions do not warrant it. True love of God produces a desire to live His way, embracing His commandments not as burdens but as essential boundaries that train us to become like Him. Obedience to His Word, as John states, perfects His love in us, establishing an intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father, leading toward becoming members of the God Family. If true love exists in the heart, it will be reflected in our way of living, demonstrating that we belong to Him through our outgoing concern for others. Above all, we are to put on godly love, forgiving as we have been forgiven by Christ, uniting all aspects of God's calling and opening His mind for us to emulate.
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. CollinsThere 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. RitenbaughEven 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. RitenbaughForgiveness 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. RitenbaughBecause 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. RitenbaughKindness 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. CollinsThe 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. RitenbaughSheep 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. RitenbaughLike the Old Testament examples, the Corinthians had a careless presumption, allowing themselves to lust, fornicate, tempt God, and murmur.