Helping preachers to proclaim, and all Christians to hear, the transforming Word of God
posted by Milton Stanley at 8:12 AM
Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may be able to determine what God's will is -- what is proper, pleasing, and perfect. - Rom. 12:2
For the best links to free online Bible commentaries for preaching and teaching, please visit Expository Links.
Linking to a given site doesn't mean I necessarily agree with everything it says. And since this is a blog, not a sermon, I'm not being fastidious about qualifying every post. If you're a preacher of the Word, you ought to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. If you want to see what I believe and preach, go to my sermons page:
or my other weblog:
Please let me know if you've linked to this page, and I'll be happy to add your link to this one.
7 Comments:
read it and left a comment.
thanks.
You're welcome, Nancy. I'm glad you read this blog and follow the links. Now I'm interested in going to see your comment at AIM. Peace.
well, i have to confess that at this point i am a more than a little confused.
i know that God wants for us to have a relationship with Him. and that is very important. and i think that to be open to relating with others in love is also very important.
i am not up on all of the different kinds of beliefs. how many people are?
could you explain your thoughts on this in language that i could understand?
i know that your blog is mainly for preachers. but, i am curious.
Sure. I can't speak for Jeff, but what made an impression with me is the idea that that gospel is much more than a simple little formula. By "simple formula," I mean reducing the gospel to nothing more than the steps required to be saved. In my tradition that means five steps: hear, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. Other traditions have even shorter lists.
The outline of the gospel can be stated concisely. For example, 1 Cor. 15:3-7, 1 Tim. 3:16, or Heb. 6:1-2 all include such outlines. But those are at best summaries of the gospel. Jesus proclaimed the "gospel of the Kingdom" (Mt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14). How an individual comes to be saved is only one part of the good news of the Kingdom. That good news or gospel also includes healing the blind, deaf, lame, and sick, casting out demons, and proclaiming the rule of God. It is being accomplished through the life, death, resurrection, ascension and exaltation of Jesus Christ. In fact, the good news is so rich, that each of the four Gospel writers took a whole book to tell about it.
If we believe the gospel is simply the steps we take to be saved, then the gospel has no use for Christians after we are saved. But in fact, the good news of Jesus' life, death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation are what continue to shape Christians during our entire lives of discipleship (1 Cor. 2:2; Heb. 12:1-1).
It looks like Jeff is trying to say that one size doesn't necessarily fit all when it comes to telling the good news of Jesus Christ. Your final comment at Jeff's blog is also on-target: "it is the Spirit that is leading the way, not a program."
Does any of this help clear up your confusion?
yes, it helps quite a bit.
thank you, brother m.
Anytime, sister.
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