Tag: gospel
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A sausage anyone..?? Part 2.
As you ponder your now renewed desire to burn a sausage in memory of reformed Christians burned by the RC Church (because of their belief in the protestant gospel) let me encourage you to celebrate the Swiss reformation with Zwingli’s own words from his sermon: ‘Paul also says, Colossians 2:16: “No man shall judge you […]
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Heidelberg Disputation (Thesis 1)
Good citizens are those that keep the law right? Those who don’t speed, don’t shop lift, and do look after the property of others. Well that is how we as humans look at each other and judge whether we are good citizens, or ‘righteous’, according to our laws. From a human perspective, there is much […]
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Bolt and Sheridan on Sheridan’s New Book
While Sheridan is coming from a Roman Catholic perspective, the evidences for the New Testament (NT) that he discusses are of importance for evangelical and reformed Protestants too. From an apologetic standpoint it is great to see this on Australian television. But let’s not forget the need to get the gospel right – in addition […]
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Luther’s Eight Sermons at Wittenberg, March 1522 (Part 6)
In Luther’s 5th sermon he begins to pick apart the incredible hypocrisy and contradictions of the papal man-made laws. For instance, he writes, ‘You have heard how I preached against the foolish law of the pope and opposed his precept, that no woman shall wash the altar linen on which the body of Christ has […]
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David F. Wells on Preaching…
‘Preaching is not a conversation, a chat about some interesting ideas. It is not the moment in which postmoderns hear their own private message in the biblical words, one unique to each one who hears, and then go their own way. No! This is God speaking! He speaks through the stammering lips of the preacher where that person’s mind is on the text of Scripture and the heart is in the presence of God. God, as Luther put it, lives in the preacher’s mouth. This is the kind of preaching that issues a summons, that nourishes the soul, that draws the congregation into the very presence of God so that no matter what aspect of his character, his truth, or his working in this world is in focus, we leave with awe, gratitude, encouragement, and sometimes a rebuke. We have been in the very presence of God! That is what great preaching always accomplishes.’ From The Courage to be […]
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On Christian Unity
The foundation and structure of unity. What is the basis of Christian unity? There are multiple protestant denominations that exist – even multiple types of the same denominations. There are a plethora of Christian cults constantly seeking our affirmation and their legitimacy. The Roman Catholic Church has become just another denomination rather than what the […]
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Luther’s Eight Sermons at Wittenberg, March 1522 (Part 4)
As a pastor returning to the mess that Karlstadt had begun – in trying to bring revolution – Luther explains the method he uses to decide whether something is to be considered ‘free’ or a ‘must’. Remember this is Luther’s third sermon having returned from Wittenberg from isolation in Wartburg Castle (although he probably didn’t […]
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Luther’s Eight Sermons at Wittenberg, March 1522 (Part 3)
Luther begins his second sermon with a summary of his sermon from the day before: ‘Dear friends, you heard yesterday the chief characteristics of a Christian man, that his whole life and being is faith and love. Faith is directed toward God, love toward man and one’s neighbor, and consists in such love and service […]
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Thesis 5: A fake sinner will only merit a fake saviour. A true sinner will, by faith alone, merit the righteousness and forgiveness of a true saviour…Be a sinner!
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17 ESV) See Luther Quote #5 for the explanation.
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Luther Quote #3
An excerpt of a letter Luther wrote to George Spenlein, a fellow Augustinian Friar, on April 8 1516 – 18 months before posting his Ninety-five Theses: ‘Now I should like to know whether your soul, tired of its own righteousness, is learning to be revived by and to trust in the righteousness of Christ. For […]