Beyond Belief: Chapter 18 – The Sabbath Rest
The Sabbath is more than a day of physical and mental relaxation. It is even more than the day on which we worship. The Sabbath has a definite redemptive significance — a distinct connection with the everlasting gospel. The New Testament often uses the word rest to describe the good news of salvation realized in the holy […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 17 – Law and Grace II
One reason so many Christians are confused about their salvation under grace is that they fail to realize that the New Testament speaks of two aspects of salvation. We studied this topic earlier in this book, yet, because so many Christians are trapped in a subtle form of legalism, we need to review these two […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 16 – Law and Grace I
When I was a missionary in Uganda, a young African approached me one day with a sincere desire to witness for Christ. “Are you saved?” he asked. After convincing him that I was a Christian, I returned his question. “Are you saved?” “Praise the Lord, I am saved!” He replied enthusiastically. “If you’re saved,” I responded, “how […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 15 – Spirit, Soul, and Body
In the previous chapter, we saw that spiritually we are made up of three components — spirit, soul, and body. Each of these has a specific work in the spiritual well-being of the whole, but each is also closely related to the others. In this chapter, we will look at each of these components and […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 14 – The Work of the Holy Spirit
As we have seen repeatedly in this book so far, salvation full and complete has already been prepared and provided for us in Christ Jesus. This is the objective gospel. The Holy Spirit’s work is to communicate this completed salvation to the fallen human race. His role, then, in our experienceof salvation is vital. At the […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 13 – The Principle of the Cross
Earlier in this book, we examined the cross of Christ as an objective fact. In this chapter, we will be concerned with applying this truth to our lives. The power of the gospel is based on the cross [see 1 Corinthians 1:17-18]. When the cross is applied to the life of the believer, it becomes […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 12 – The Joyous Experience of Salvation
In earlier chapters, we studied the various facets of the objective gospel — the plan of salvation that has already been prepared and provided for all humanity in Jesus Christ. In chapters 10 and 11, we saw that the truth of this gospel remains merely a set of teachings, void of power, until it becomes […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 11 – Justification and Sanctification
Now that we have defined genuine saving faith and have seen what role it plays in our salvation, let’s look at the two main areas — justification and sanctification — that together make up this doctrine of righteousness by faith. There is much confusion in the church today over these aspects of righteousness by faith. […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 10 – Righteousness by Faith
In Chapter 3, we defined the gospel and salvation as an objective fact. We saw that, in Christ, all humanity has obtained full and complete salvation because Christ’s life has provided salvation from sin’s guilt and punishment, its power, and its curse [see Ephesians 2:5-6]. In this chapter, we will turn our atention to the subjective aspect of […]
Beyond Belief: Chapter 9 – The Cross and the Human Race
When we studied the “two Adams,” we saw that “in Adam all die,” while “in Christ all will be made alive” [1 Corinthians 15:22]. Since all of us have sinned in Adam [see Romans 5:12], then all of us must ultimately die the second death, which is the wages of that sin. Apart from the […]
