You don’t need to be a theologian or a highly religious person in order to be saved (see the example of the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39‐43). Even so it is worthwhile to dig deeper into the topic of salvation, both to guard ourselves from errors and to strengthen our hope of what is to come.
Of all the doctrines of the Christian faith and all the truths contained in Scripture, perhaps the most essential—and the most amazing—is the gift of salvation. Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and suffered an execution designed for the worst of criminals. In doing so, He paid the penalty for the sins of all who would believe in Him. Then He rose from the dead, having earned what He already owned: authority over all things, including death.
When reading the New Testament, one thing that should jump off the page and challenge us all to start memorizing Scripture is the amount of Scripture that Jesus and the leaders of the early church knew and used in their ministries. If we are to be used by God with maximum effectiveness, we must know His Word.
From the beginning, humans were created to want things—good things, like knowledge, food, and fellowship. Those desires motivate us to learn, work, and love our neighbors, but we run into trouble when our desires get focused on the wrong objects. In today’s age, the advertising industry carries the same message twenty‐four‐seven on more than 200 channels.
God does not take disobedience lightly. Jesus taught that to love God is to obey His commands, but to disobey is the equivalent of not loving Him (John 14:15, 23‐24). Unfortunately, because of our sin nature, we try to justify doing what we shouldn’t—or not doing what we ought to. Sometimes we don’t even know God’s Word thoroughly enough to recognize the difference.
It seems that the Holy Spirit (also known as the Holy Ghost) is the least talked about and most misunderstood part of the Trinity. How would you explain the attributes of the Holy Spirit if asked by a co‐worker who is honestly seeking to know more about Him? As a starting point of explaining the full potential Christians have in living by the Spirit, here’s the basics you need to know about the Trinity.