Serious About Scripture

Mentoring and motivating Christ’s people to live his words

Good Works Are Not Your Problem

Rather than writing off good works, the Apostle Paul considered good works and faith to be the closest of friends. The Christian life is “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). In fact, Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.” Good works are a major reason Christ died for you. Don’t think little of them. Rather, it is Mosaic Law-works (such…

Anathema: 1 Corinthians 16:22

“Let anyone who has no love for the Lord be accursed.” (1 Cor 16:22, NET) This verse seems to dangle there with no immediately apparent connection to what precedes it or follows. Paul placed this thought in the very last handful of sentences in the first letter to the Corinthians. He’s given the readers some final punctuated reminders to end up his long epistle. It has a strength there, even if all alone. But maybe it’s not totally alone. It’s…

The Son Sent

Jesus came from the Father, not sent from God  like John the Baptist, or like Jesus sent the disciples, or like Paul sent Timothy, but uniquely sent from the Father himself having for eternity past enjoyed the glory of heaven, the glory of unbroken communion with the Father, and the glory of his own existence. “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. “I have manifested your…

God Doesn’t Need You

“He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17 Paul on Mars Hill in Athens proclaimed the entire self-sufficiency of God. We are his body, it is true, which is the fullness or completion of the Head. He uses us. But he needs nothing from us. Let that sink in. We do not add to him in any way, but rather, he gives…