Mike you ended the year with two home runs. These discussions of honor and character and today’s Pelagians ring true. https://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/2021/12/29/the-pelagian-captivity-of-the-church/ I only wish I had a close group of friends in our church I could share and discuss these ideas with locally.
There is only one Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
Great message as we roll into the end of the year. Paul also had a few words about the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15. And Romans 1:16-17. And Manfred is right….” concept of Scripture not ever contradicting itself” Is huge and is often revealed as one uses context well.
by Mike Ratliff
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:8-12 (NASB)
The title of this article may…
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Efficacious Faith vs. Man-made Faith
Thanks Mike this is a pretty deep topic. I wish in my own sphere I had fellow believers who could dialogue on points like this. Unfortunately at my church I can’t name one person I could rationally discuss the ideas with.
Years ago I did some study of Dr. S. Lewis Johnson’s sermons and among them he had some good teaching on the topic which is still available.
https://sljinstitute.net/johannine-theology/efficacious-grace-of-the-drawing-of-the-given/
by Mike Ratliff
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14 (NASB)
Efficacious adj. producing the desired effect – from The Oxford New Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus Third Edition.
Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its…
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Our Father
When I have difficulty in falling asleep 😴 I will try counting backwards from 100. Sometimes it works and I realize I’ve drifted off at some number and haven’t finished. Counting sheep never worked for me. My wife says she just repeats the Lord’s Prayer. That’s probably not the reason Jesus taught this Prayer to… Continue reading Our Father
Rainbow Trout 