The Gospel Of Repentance

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel. And I say to you that many will come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. These three verses refer to the Roman centurion who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant who was paralyzed. The centurion was a Gentile, meaning he was not a Hebrew and was not part of the chosen people, the covenant community, the commonwealth of Israel. That is why in vs. 8-9 he declared to Jesus, “I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word (emphasis added) and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. And I say to one ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.” So w...

There is a valuable lesson for us as believers to learn in Matthew’s gospel in the 18 th chapter. Let’s search the scriptures to see what the Lord would like to teach us. Our text will come from Matthew 18:21-35. It reads:   Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.   Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.   And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.   But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.   The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.   And the lord of that servant...

Jude is the brother of James who wrote the epistle that bears his name. Judas or Jude was Jesus’ half brother according to the flesh. Jude like James did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah until he rose from the dead (John 7:5; Acts 1:14; I Corinthians 15:7). Jude begins his letter by stating, “those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.” The word called is from the Greek Kletos which means to call, invite, welcomed, appointed. Those who are the elect and chosen of God. The inward, effectual call that produces saving faith within the sinner. The word sanctified in the Greek is the word Hagiazo which means to set apart and holy unto God. When God saves, he instantaneously sanctifies or set apart the believer and plants within him his Holy Spirit as the promise or guarantee of his current redemption spiritually and his physical redemption in the future (Ephesians 1:14; Philippians 1:6). The word preserved is from the Greek word ...

The main issue in the aforementioned verses is sin. When we read these verses, it appears that the apostle John contradicts himself. Let’s examine them to find out what’s going on. In I John 1:8-10 we read, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse to us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” Now, in I John 3:6-9 we read, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin (italics added). Whoever sins has neither seen Him or known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.        Whoever is born of God does not sin (italics added), for ...

“I beseech you  therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you  present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.” -           Romans 12:1 I’ve pondered that question lately, and wondered how I can be alive and sacrifice myself at the same time? Yet God commands us as believers to do it. I must be alive, and reckon myself as dead; seems impossible. What does the scripture have to say about these seemingly mutually opposed ideas? Jesus said this in Matthew 16:24-25, Then Jesus said to disciples,” if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. So, what do these verses mean? The word cross in the Greek is the word Stauros ; primarily means stake or pale. Metaphorically it means the believer’s identification wi...

Comparisons are made between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly: The High Priest had to offer blood sacrifices year by year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), first for his own sins and then for the people of Israel (cf. Leviticus 16:1-34). The High Priest had to take blood and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat so that it was consecrated by the blood which was the sanctifying agent (vs. 1-7). This religious ceremony was accepted by God according to Mosaic law, but it was never complete and sufficient to remove sins. It was merely symbolic of what Jesus would do when he offered up himself (vs. 9). Jesus sacrifice of himself is the ultimate priestly act because it cleanses the soul forever from sin of the one who believes (vs. 10-15). A couple of glorious things are revealed here: #1. Jesus made a covenant with his people. In that covenant there’s an inheritance. In order for that testament to have any force , the testator has to die. Jesus sacrificial  death...

This chapter primarily deals with the New/Everlasting covenant which was prophesied by Jeremiah 31:31-32. Prior to that, the text deals with Jesus’ priesthood could not be of this world because of the Levitical priesthood was in force which offered gifts and sacrifices according to the law which were shadows of the things to come (vs 1-5). Jesus’ priesthood was based on a better covenant based on better promises. This new covenant was ratified with the shedding of his own blood (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20;I Corinthians 11:25). The New Covenant provides complete access to God because of the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.                                                                                           ...