Hard to Hear (1)
—Sometimes God’s Truth Hurts
We present more hard sayings, teaching in the Bible that people find hard to hear and difficult to believe. This page is mostly about faith and baptism...
In Flaming Fire
When Jesus returns it will be a marvellous day for his saints. All who believed will enter the glory of God’s eternal kingdom. But God’s righteous judgment does not end there. Those who did not obey the gospel and those who afflicted his saints, will be repaid with affliction (2Thessalonians 1:5-10). They will suffer punishment eternal away from the presence of God. People today need to “behold the goodness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22).
Against Arrogance
James's message is not against doing business, but against the arrogance of thinking you are in control of your life. God is in control, not you. He can allow your business to fail, and even life to disappear, when you least expect it. (James 4:13-17).
Faith and Hearing
Faith is essential to salvation. But hearing God’s word is essential to faith. You cannot just make up your own personal faith and truth from the thoughts you collect and the opinions you form. God’s word must be conveyed to you by the inspired writings of the apostles of Christ who preached that word.
Any preacher today must pass on the word of scripture and no other. You cannot just let some still small voice, some “gut feeling” or some imagined “revelation” be your guide. The only voice of God today is in the scriptures. You cannot be saved without faith. You cannot have faith without hearing God’s word. You cannot hear God’s word without a preacher. (Romans 10:14-17).
Faith and Baptism
Many will agree that faith brings one into Christ, but they will deny that baptism also brings us into Christ. Paul believed both propositions. (Galatians 3:26-29).
One, Not Many
Why are there so many different beliefs, when the Bible says there is one faith?
Six Steps to Grace
The words of Paul in Romans (and his agreement with Jesus in the gospels) on what people should do to receive grace.
1. Hearing Christ’s word (Romans 10:8-17, Matthew 7:24).
2. Believing —having faith (Romans 1:16-17, John 3:16).
3. Repentance from sin (Romans 2:4-5, Romans 6:1-2, Luke 5:31-32).
4. Confessing Christ (Romans 10:8-10, Matthew 10:32).
5. Being baptized into Christ’s death (Romans 6:3-4, Mark 16:15-16).
6. Ongoing commitment (Romans 12:1-2, Romans 12:11-12, Luke 9:62).
Being Born Again
By faith in Christ Jesus we are able to be born again. We die to sin, crucified with Him. We are buried with Him. We are raised with Him to walk in new life. This all takes place through baptism (Romans 6).
