Podcasts about Justification

Faith isn't belief or hope—it's assurance. In this message, Dr. Gabe unpacks the true meaning of faith, challenging common misconceptions and encouraging listeners to move beyond hope into the assurance of God's reality. He explores how faith is not just belief or hope, but the unwavering confidence in God—regardless of circumstance or outcome. To live by faith is to possess an unwavering assurance in God's love, sovereignty, and presence, regardless of circumstances. It is to embrace sacrifice and trust, even when there's no earthly guarantee. As Pastor Gabriel concludes, the invitation is clear: “At some point in your walk with the Lord… you gotta choose the cross.”Support the showText encounteratl to 94000 to stay up-to-date on all things Encounter.Worship with EncounterSundays at 9 AM ET | Wednesdays at 7:30 PM ETSupport EncounterText egive to 77977 Connect with EncounterFacebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | WebsiteConnect with Dr. GabeInstagram | YouTube | Website

Romans 4:23-25

Many Christians live under a cloud of guilt, constantly wondering if God is angry with them for their latest failure. Dr. John Neufeld explains justification as God's legal declaration of "not guilty" based on Christ's finished work. He reveals three liberating benefits: complete freedom from condemnation and guilt, release from trying to earn God's favour through religious performance, and the end of spiritual pride since justification comes entirely as God's unmerited gift.Making the Most of Your Salvation: In a world of endless technology, the opportunity for learning, communicating, and creating is at an all-time high. But for many of us, we don't take full advantage of all of the resources at our fingertips. We know that many of us aren't using technology to its full capacity, but did you know that many of us view our salvation in the same way? Join Dr. John Neufeld in the 10-message series, Making the Most of Your Salvation, as we learn about a sad reality that many Christians face: We don't appreciate all that our salvation has to offer us. All too often, we see salvation as something that is there, that we understand, but we don't take full advantage of. We go to church, we try to read the Bible, and we know that we're going to heaven when we die. But there are so many other benefits of salvation that have the power to revolutionize our lives!

Your words matter!Evil is a being - Satan - whom we overcome when we learn to testify personally to what God's Word says about the Blood of Jesus.Support the show

Summary In this sermon, Dr. Michael Easley unpacks Romans 6, where Paul addresses a dangerous misunderstanding of grace: if God's grace abounds where sin abounds, should we continue sinning so grace may increase? Paul's emphatic answer is, “May it never be!” Believers are not free to sin, but free from sin. Through Christ's death and resurrection, Christians are united with Him—baptized into His death, buried with Him, raised with Him, and called to walk in newness of life. Death in Scripture signifies separation, and for the believer, it means separation from sin's controlling power. Though temptation remains, sin no longer rules our lives. Dr. Easley also explores baptism, clarifying that it is not a requirement for salvation but a faithful response of identification with Christ. Grace is never meant to be exploited as permission to sin. Instead, it should fuel our gratitude and obedience. Ultimately, Paul's charge is clear: we are dead to sin but alive in Christ. Grace is not for sin-negotiation—it is the foundation for grateful living. Our lives should reflect not a return to the sewer of sin, but the newness of life Christ has secured for us. Takeaways Grace is not an excuse for sin but the reason believers live differently. Death in Scripture signifies separation—believers are separated from sin's power. Baptism identifies believers with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Justification and reconciliation are God's work alone; we cannot add to them. Sanctification is the lifelong process of becoming more like Christ and less like Adam. Walking in newness of life is better than trying not to sin—it is living gratefully in Christ. To read the book of Romans, click here. Click here for other Michael Easley Sermons.

Part 2 of the series "Salvation Experience: From Guilt To Glory" To support this ministry and help us continue to transform lives around the world, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3ufMJav⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You're listening to Bishop Darlingston Johnson, lead pastor at Harvest Intercontinental Church, Olney, MD. Learn more about Harvesters-Olney at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.harvestersolney.org

Justification

Let God JUSTIFY, or you'll NEVER come up with a SATISFACTORY answer to why BAD things happen to even GOOD people.Contact Us: Covenants.LLC1@Yaoo.com; CovenantsOnLine.com; @COVENANTS; or call 304-528-9220.

     Concerning the permission of divorce, Jesus said the Pharisees, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way” (Matt 19:8). God's permissive will can be observed on a national level, as Paul said, “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways” (Acts 14:16). This explains much of the poor behavior we see among the nations as we study world history. Though God desires righteousness among the nations (Prov 14:34), He allows them to pursue their own values and priorities. Yet He never relinquishes His sovereignty, and in time, He will hold every nation accountable for its actions (Ps 9:17; Rev 20:12-13).      God is always righteous and directs people to righteous living. However, God is no bully, as He does not force people to obey Him. When people turn negative to God, He permits them to pursue their sinful ways, though they are not free to choose the consequences of their actions. One who plays with fire will eventually get burned. Concerning those who “suppress God's truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18), three times it is written that He “gave them over” to “the lusts of their hearts” (Rom 1:24), and “to degrading passions” (Rom 1:26), and “to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper” (Rom 1:28). Once God permits a person to operate by his/her sinful passions, they are given a measure of freedom to live as they want. These are described as “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful” (Rom 1:29-31).      Fourth, there is God's overruling will, which refers to those occasions when He hinders His creatures from acting contrary to His sovereign purposes. Throughout Scripture we observe God intervening in the actions of fallen angels and people. After God permitted Adam and Eve to disobey Him, He then drove them from the Garden of Eden and overruled their ability to go back in and eat from the tree of life (Gen 3:22-24). After Abraham lied to Abimelech and told him that Sarah was his sister, Abimelech took her as his wife. However, in order to protect Sarah, God intervened and told Abimelech, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married” (Gen 20:3). Abimelech pleaded with God and claimed his innocence (Gen 20:4-5). God, being just, told Abimelech, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore, I did not let you touch her” (Gen 20:6). Jacob served his uncle Laban for twenty years, but during that time his uncle had mistreated him, and by the end, he saw his uncle “was not friendly toward him as formerly” (Gen 31:2). Realizing it was time for Jacob to leave his uncle, he told his two wives, Rachel and Leah, “your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me” (Gen 31:7). During the tribulation, there will be hostile unbelievers who will try to flee from God's wrath by seeking death. But God prevents them from this escape, as John writes, “in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them” (Rev 9:6).      When Satan wanted to attack Job, God granted him permission, saying, “Behold, all that he has is in your power” (Job 1:12a). But then God restrained Satan, saying, “do not put forth your hand on him” (Job 1:12b). When Satan came back a second time, God granted him permission to attack Job's body, saying, “he is in your power” (Job 2:6a), but then told him to “spare his life” (Job 2:6b). When Job's wife advised him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9), he responded, saying, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10). During the seven-year tribulation, demons are released from an angelic prison and “power was given them” to hurt unbelievers (Rev 9:3). However, they were restrained, as God told them, “not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months” (Rev 9:4-5a). Satan is currently active in the world (1 Pet 5:8; 1 John 5:19) and will be during the tribulation. However, God intervenes at the end of the tribulation and has Satan arrested and “bound him for a thousand years” (Rev 20:2). God's arresting angel “threw Satan into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time” (Rev 20:3).      Fifth, there is God's providential will, which refers to the outworking of His sovereign will in such a way that He creates circumstances that direct our lives and destiny. Believers who understand this will make their human plans contingent on God's sovereign plans (1 Ch 13:2; Acts 18:21; Jam 4:15). As God's people, we know the Lord and His will for our lives because His written Word informs and guides us. The Bible is our divine pedagogical guide. In addition to Scripture, God directs us providentially as He controls the circumstances of our lives to His desired end. However, only the believer with a thorough knowledge of God's Word can properly interpret his/her circumstances and know what God is doing. Interpreting circumstances, or divine impressions on the heart, is never as clear as knowing God's Word. Charles Clough states: "There is a mystical element to Christianity in how the Lord leads you; and He impresses upon you different things. But you can never elevate that mystical part of your Christian life and make it equal to the revelation of Scripture, because the revelation of Scripture is the measuring stick so you can tell the difference between Christ in the heart and heart burn. How you do that is whether it fits the Scripture."[1] God's providence is His continual care over the creation He brought into existence. God continues to create and control circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His people. People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls. J. I. Packer states: "Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Psa 145:9 cf. Mt 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col 1:17; Heb 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Psa 107; Job 1:12; 2:6; Gen 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph 1:9–12)."[2]      God is holy and never creates evil, however, He can and does control those who do. Satan, and those who follow him, are ultimately under God's sovereign control, and even their evil plans and actions are used for His good purposes. For example, Joseph was mistreated by his brothers and sold into slavery and taken to Egypt where he suffered greatly. Yet, later in his life, Joseph interpreted their behavior from the divine perspective, telling his brothers, “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). And Joseph repeated himself a second time, saying, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen 45:7-8a). And later, he told them a third time, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen 50:20). It was God's providence that drove Saul to chase after his father's donkeys, and then be led to the prophet Samuel and anointed king of Israel (1 Sam 9-10). It was God's providence that directed Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, so the baby Jesus would be born at the appointed time and place (Mic 5:2; Luke 2:4-6; Gal 4:4). Later, Joseph and Mary were compelled to go to Egypt, in order to preserve the baby Savior (Matt 2:13-15). It was God's providence that forced Aquila and Priscilla out of Rome by the emperor Claudius' decree, only to meet the apostle Paul in Corinth and join him in Christian ministry (Acts 18:1-3; Rom 16:3; 1 Cor 16:19). It was God's providence that put the Lord Jesus on the cross to be crucified by the hands of godless men. Peter, charging Israelites in Jerusalem concerning Jesus's death, said, “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23). And after being persecuted by the leaders in Jerusalem, Peter and John, along with others, said to God, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur” (Acts 4:27-28). In these verses we see people behaving sinfully, whether Joseph's brothers, or human rulers who abuse their power; yet God used their sinful choices to bring about a greater good. Because God is righteous, all His actions are just (Psa 119:137). Because He is loving (1 John 4:8), He directs all things for the benefit of His people. Because He is good (Psa 34:8; 100:5), He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).      Concerning Christian ministry, God providentially opens and closes doors of service. Throughout the New Testament, an “open door” refers to a divinely orchestrated opportunity for sharing the gospel and engaging in Christian ministry (Acts 14:25-27). On one occasion the Lord closed an opportunity for ministry (Acts 16:6-7), but then opened another (Acts 16:9-10). An “open door” for ministry can have opposition (1 Cor 16:7-9), does not remove everyday concerns about life (2 Cor 2:12-13), should be sought with prayer (Col 4:2-3), and once opened cannot be shut by people (Rev 3:8). As God's people, we do not create occasions for Christian ministry; we simply accept those provided for us by the Lord (Eph 2:10).    In summary, knowing and doing God's will is largely a matter of knowing His Word and walking in it. Those who are positive to God will desire His Word in order to obey it. From Scripture we know about the Lord Himself, His sovereign control over His creation, what He desires of us, His permission of sin, as well as His directing history providentially to the return and reign of Christ. Where Scripture is silent, we may try to ascertain His will through the circumstances of our life, but such understanding must always be subordinate to the clear revelation of Scripture. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.   [1] Charles Clough, Lesson 21 - Moral Relativism; Justification & Procedures for Holy War, (2010, 17th minute). https://www.bibleframeworkapplied.org/multi-lesson-series/deuteronomy [2] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979-80.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. We are working our way through our membership commitment. In some ways, it's like if you went and saw a band and they only played their hits, they didn't replace the drummer and he got to write a song about his child and you have to listen to that. None of that, just only hits. That's kind of what we're doing with our membership commitment. It's like these are the straightforward, clear doctrines of the faith and how we're gonna practice them together as a church family. And we're just walking through that together, trying to see where this comes from in the Scriptures, how it applies to us, how we're gonna walk that out here and so glad that you're here this morning and we're getting to do this together. Today we are looking at the doctrine of salvation. So this is commitments five and six, and we are looking at what Christ has done for us in salvation. And I feel a little bit this morning that you get to talking to a grandmother and y'all remember that it doesn't happen like it used to, but they would pull out of their purse this little thing of their grandchildren, and each one of them precious and wonderful and worthy of explanation of who's playing the clarinet and who's pre law and who's just so wonderful and precious. They'd get that gleam in their eye and you're, I'm going to be here a while. Now they can do it on their phone. And it's infinite. I feel that this morning as we look into salvation and we look into this statement that's just each section just packed with beauty and wonder and glory. And so we're going to take this time this morning to study the Scriptures on who Jesus is and what he has done for us in the work of salvation, this act of God on our behalf. My hope is that we would delight in that and respond to that in worship and faith. So take a moment with me as we pray.As we begin. Lord, we are seeking to, through faith in the work of your spirit, to peer into things that are too wonderful for us. We ask that you would help us to delight in the wonder of salvation and the hope of your glory, and that you would help us to perceive it in our hearts how good and glorious you are and what you have accomplished for us in Christ in Jesus name, Amen.So commitment number five says Jesus is The Son of God who died in my place for my sin, securing for me God's grace and relationship with him forever. I have been saved by God's grace through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. My salvation is not a result of any of my actions, good works or morals. There's a whole lot in there. We're going to walk through it. Commitment 6. I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for salvation and empowered by him for mission and service. We're only going to look at the first half of that this morning. So we'll just look at I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for salvation. We will look at the second half next week.Let's go to the beginning of this. Says Jesus is the Son of God who died in my place for my sin. Let's consider that first. When Gabriel comes to Joseph in Matthew chapter one, he says she will bear a son. He's declaring to him that Mary is pregnant, she's going to have a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.> She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21, ESV)So that's what we looked at last week, that we have sin, that we are a part of the rebellion, that Adam and Eve rebelled against God, they fell into sin, and that we've joined that rebellion, that we've participated in that, and Jesus expressly is coming to save his people from their sins. Or as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 15:3.> For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3, ESV)Let me tell you, if you have approached Christianity and you have held something up as first importance, and it is not that, then you're confused about the message of Christianity. If you've come in with, well, let me understand this, or you talk to people sometimes and they're like, you're trying to talk to them about Christianity. I got a lot of questions about Noah's Ark. And it's like, hey, can I tell you, that's not the main point of Christianity. We can get there. But this is what Christianity has come to declare, that Christ died in accordance with the Scriptures, that this was prophesied and that he's come to save his people from their sin, that he died for our sins. That sin is a cancer that is killing us, and Christ comes as the physician to heal us. That sin is a prison that we are captured in, and that Christ is the one who opens the doors, lets the sun in, picks us up and carries us out. That he's the hero, the rescuer, the hope. That's the testimony of the scriptures. First John 4 says it this way.> In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10, ESV)So he displays his love for us in doing this. And he's the propitiation, which is a theologically dense term that means he absorbs wrath. That, as Paul says in Romans 1, that the wrath of God is put on display, that it's against all of the wickedness and unrighteousness of men. Or as he says in Romans 3, that we're storing up wrath for the day of wrath because of our lack of repentance, and that Christ comes as the propitiation for our sin, that he takes wrath, that he absorbs the wrath on our behalf. Tim Keller puts it in a really tangible way when he says that sin is like, if I come to your house and break a lamp. When you sin, a real thing happens. Something tangible happens in the world. He says that you can say, you owe me a lamp, or you can say, don't worry about it. But you saying don't worry about it doesn't fix the lamp. It just means you're going to pay for it. That's what Christ has done. When people say, well, why is it such a big deal? Why didn't he say don't? Why can't he just say don't worry about it? He gives us a way to say, don't worry about it, where he pays for it, where he comes and says, I'll cover the cost of your sin. I'll absorb the wrath. That's what propitiation is. And it's wonderful that when it says he died for our sins, it means that we really incurred debt that we have, debt that we owe, that we've caused, and he comes and pays for it.Or in Galatians 2:20, it says,> I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20, ESV)This is one of the reasons why it's personal in the way we have written it in our commitment, that he died in my place for my sin. That's the way Paul is saying it here, that he loved me and gave Himself for me. Yes, he loved the church and gave Himself for the church. He loved us and gave Himself for us. That he died for our sins, but he also died for my sin. That he also died for your sin. That he knows you, knows the cost and the debt of your sin, loves you and died for your sin. That if you are in Christ, that that is personal. That it's not something where you get brought into a big group and you just sneak in. I was at a South Carolina game and we were sitting near the little club thing and it started pouring rain. This wasn't yesterday, but it was a couple weeks ago and it just was pouring. We just charged into the covered area and there was no way for them to check everybody. We just snuck in. There's too many people coming, too much rain. You just were like, don't worry about me, I'm coming in. Some of us act like that's how you got into Christ, that you somehow snuck past and that he loves other people dearly and that he paid for their sin and that you somehow have just kind of gone in the back and stood in the corner and he's not really noticing you. But that's not the reality. He knows you personally, loves you dearly and personally and rescues you personally and pays for your sin personally. If you belong to Jesus, you belong to him and he knows you and cares for you. That's a reality of the salvation that we have in Christ. Do not let the enemy lie to you and say that you somehow got in on a technicality and that he loves the Church, but not really you, because that is not true. If you belong to Jesus, he knows and loves you dearly and has died for you, who loved me and gave Himself for me. That's the way Paul says it.So what happens when he does this? The next part of this is he's securing for me. He died for my sins, securing for me God's grace, relationship with him forever. We're going to consider God's grace that he brought us into it. We're going to consider that in a moment. But first we're going to look at this relationship with him forever. In our sin, we are alienated from God. This is the way Colossians 1:21–22 says it.> And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, (Colossians 1:21–22, ESV)Alienated means there's a gap. There's no relationship, it's broken. You don't belong to each other. The tie and the love and the relationship severed. This is where we are in our sin. That if you are standing in Adam, you are alienated from God and you're hostile to him. You're an enemy. That's the way Paul puts it in Romans 5. He says, we're enemies of God, but he says we're doing evil deeds. He says he has now reconciled, which means to bridge the gap and restore the relationship. So it's undoing alienation. He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. The work of the Cross reconciles us to the Father. So you'll hear people say things like, sin separates us from God. And that's true if we exist in our sin. But if we exist in Christ, then we are reconciled and we are holy and blameless and above reproach before him through what he has done in his body of flesh by his death. So that you get moved to Christ, and then your sin does not separate you from God because he has done the work of reconciliation, that he's restored the relationship.Reading a book recently written by Lee Strobel, he was talking with someone about heaven, and they were discussing the concept of reconciliation between people in heaven, that those that we've had animosity towards, that as we are redeemed in Christ, we are brought back into relationship. Lee Strobel was talking about the fact that he was very rebellious as a teenager. His father was a believer, but that he had contributed so much to the deterioration of that relationship. His father, one time, exasperated in anger, looked at him before his senior prom and said, I don't have enough love for you to fill up my pinky finger. Lee Strobel said we never fixed that. We never reconciled. We never sorted that out. My father's past, and I believe he was a true believer. I think he's gone on to be with the Lord. He said, I've thought over and over again about how much my sin contributed to our relationship. I didn't have a chance to repent. I didn't have the chance to reconcile. They were discussing that when he enters eternity, that relationship will be restored, that there will be peace, that there'll be forgiveness, that there'll be joy, that they'll be brought back together. I was just overwhelmed by the thought of that and this, that we would be reconciled to God, that our hostility between him and us would be restored through the work of Christ, that we would belong, that when we showed up, there would be nothing between us that would make us want to hide or shrink back because of the work of Christ, that we would have all the freedom and all the joy and all the delight to run to him and not feel like that's odd. And that he would have the same relationship with us. It's beautiful that we've been reconciled and we have a relationship with him forever. We should be overwhelmed by that.It says this. I have been saved by God's grace through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, that we are in Christ, that the gospel, the life, death and resurrection of Christ apply to us, and that we get to be brought into it, that we get to be saved through it. Let's consider the concept of grace. We've been saved by God's grace. Ephesians 2 says,> But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved, (Ephesians 2:4–5, 8 ESV)Let's follow the logic here. We're dead in our trespasses. So what did you bring? Trespasses. That's sin. You've crossed the line. You've trespassed. There was a thing that said, no trespassing, don't go here. And then you went there. Do y'all remember that, when y'all did that? Yeah, we've done that. We've trespassed. And what does that bring? Death. You've brought two things, death and trespass. That earned you death. But God loves us and is rich in mercy for those who have trespassed. He's made us alive together with Christ. When Christ rose, we get to be made alive with him. Then it says,> For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV)That does not tell us what grace is. It tells us that grace is wonderful. You read that and go, well, I'm so thankful for grace. Grace sounds great. If I told you the flux capacitor lets you time travel, you're like, wow, what's a flux capacitor? That's kind of what this is. Grace saved us. The salvation sounds wonderful, but what is grace? He says in verse eight, for by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God. So grace is a gift. Another way of putting this an acronym somebody told me one time, is God's riches at Christ's expense Grace, or God's righteousness at Christ's expense, meaning that he pays for it and then we receive it. But it's a gift. I had someone a week ago say, hey, I have a gift for you. You know what I said, whoa, thanks. Sweet. Sounds good. I love that sentence. It's one of my favorite sentences. You know what? I didn't say, hey, I have a gift for you. I didn't go, okay, tell me what I gotta do. They just said, quit being weird. Open it. I don't take it from my hand when I hand it to you. Do you not know what gifts are like? That's how grace works. We don't come in and go, okay, what do I have to do? How am I going to be saved? All right, no, it's a gift. This is received. This doesn't get better than that. There's something in us that wants to earn something, that wants to achieve something. What has happened is that Christ has gone to work on our behalf, and graciously, as a gift, hands out salvation to those who believe. That's what it says, that we come in by faith. Romans calls it a free gift. It says that we've been saved through faith.So let's consider faith. What is faith? If faith is what brings me into grace and grace is what gives me salvation, then I need to know what faith is. John 3:16 says,> For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, ESV)That's that relationship forever, that eternal life that we get brought into something that's going to last forever. That we're brought in by belief, that we're trusting in Jesus. Somebody asked Jesus in John chapter six. They said, what do I need to do? In John 6, Jesus answered them,> Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." (John 6:29, ESV)You want to do the work. You trust Jesus. You might be inclined to say, well, that doesn't sound like work. Yes, wonderful. It doesn't. It's surrender. It's anti-work. It's us putting down the tools and saying, I'm trusting in Jesus. My hope is in Him. It's not in me. Romans 4:24 says, he's talking about righteousness, which would be the right standing before God. It says,> but for us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, (Romans 4:24, ESV)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. He goes to the cross for our trespasses, our sin, and then he's raised. Justification means that you stand in God's holy court made right. There is no claim that can be made against you because he's made us righteous. His righteousness is counted to us through the work of Christ, and we approach it through faith that we believe in Him.Trying to make this tangible. I want to talk to the elementary students in the room. But also at some point, all of us were elementary students, so you should be able to track. If you're in elementary school, you do not know how to drive a car. I know this because you live in South Carolina and most of the adults in South Carolina don't know how to drive a car. If you're in elementary school, you might be confident that you know how to drive a car, that you could do this or you've seen it and it seems pretty, but you don't. So you're dependent on the adults around you to get you places. There are a few simple rules for you. Get in the car, close the door, put a seatbelt on. That's it. Now one of the rules you have is see who's driving the car. Do you know this person? That's actually your biggest rule. Do I trust this person? You don't just get to hop in any car. If your parents haven't told you this, I'm telling you now. Don't just hop in any car. Someone who pulls up, kicks the door open and says, get in here. No, I don't know you. I don't trust you. I don't believe you'll take me where I need to go. Belief when we come to Christ is saying, this is the car and this is the driver that's going to get me where I need to go. One of the things we need to understand is that you have no other way of getting there. You don't know how to get there yourself. You actually can't get yourself there. What we're doing when we place faith in Jesus is saying, my hope is in him, and if he doesn't get me there, I won't get there. If he doesn't save, I won't be saved. If he doesn't have mercy, I won't receive mercy. If he doesn't have righteousness, I won't receive righteousness. If he doesn't give me his righteousness, I won't get it. If he doesn't do the work, I won't be able to participate in this because I have no means on my own. But I am putting all of my faith, all of my trust in him and I have no ability. I'm along for the rush. Faith is going to him and saying, Jesus, it's all on you. I believe that you have done what the Bible says you've done. I believe that you grant by faith to all those who will trust in you salvation and that none of us are put to shame. That's faith.My salvation is not a result of any of my actions, good works and morals. Faith, I said, is the opposite of a work. It's the undoing of work. It's surrendering. It's stopping. If I tell my kids to stop, they do it, but they do it by stopping, by not doing anything. That's somehow faith. Works is us surrendering our actions, good works and morals. Let me show you this. Ephesians 2 just told us we were dead in our trespasses, says in verse 8,> For by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV)If you boast about a gift, you're boasting about the giver of the gift. If I see you with something nice and I say, wow, that's really nice, and you go, yeah, I'm not trying to brag, but I had a birthday. It's like, yeah, you shouldn't be trying to brag. That was terrible bragging. You didn't earn who gave it to you. You could say, but then it would be pointing to the person who gave the gift. There's no boasting for us in salvation because we didn't do anything. We haven't earned this. Romans 3:20 says,> For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20, ESV)This is very important. If you've come into your hope of salvation and you think it's about doing the stuff right, being good enough, following the rules, that's not how this works. We are not justified by the law. We don't have any work that we can do to show to the Lord. Romans 11:6 says,> But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:6, ESV)If I said, I have a gift for you if you win it, well, it's not a gift, it's a prize. It's a trophy. You can now brag about it. I have a gift for you. Give me $500. We've exchanged something. There's some kind of contract. So if salvation has 10% you in it, well, then you get 10% of the glory. And when we sing, we should sing 10% of our songs to us. Every 10th stanza should be. Also we're great, but that's not how it works. Because work undoes grace, because grace is a gift. This is how it has to work. We can't save ourselves. If he doesn't do it, it doesn't happen. We're not able to earn this, we're not able to achieve it. It's not about you. Galatians 2:16 says,> Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16, ESV)So if you say, well, I'm a good person, that'll count. No, God gave us standards to show we won't live up to them, and then to drive us to Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf and grants us his righteousness. If it had anything to do with works, then you would be owed credit and he would owe you some sort of something, and it would somehow, to some degree, be about you. That's not how it works. We receive it by grace to the praise of his glorious grace, and not to the praise of anything else.There's actually a way for you to use your good works to avoid Jesus. I'll be good enough so that he can't have a claim on me, so that he can't tell me what I'm supposed to do. He'll owe me. But that's not how it works. We come in and say, none of my actions, none of my good works, none of my morals have saved this for me. That's wonderful news because of what we see next, which is in Commitment 6. It says, I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for salvation. If you didn't earn it, we also get to rejoice that we don't keep it. Let me show you where this is in the text. Ephesians 1:13 says,> In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:13, ESV)When you entered Christ, when you placed your hope in him, you were locked up in Christ, you were sealed in your sin, and now you're sealed in Christ. You are held captive in sin, and now you're held in Christ. I want to read another place where he mentions that same letter to try to help you understand. What does that look like? Chapter 4, verse 30 says,> And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30, ESV)This sealing tells us two things. One is he's telling him not to sin, and he says, don't grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed. He doesn't say, if you sin, you'll lose the Holy Spirit. He just says, don't grieve him; he's with you and he'll mourn your sin. He doesn't like it, so don't walk in sin. You grieve the Spirit, but he doesn't say he'll leave you. You don't work your way into salvation, which means you can't sin your way out of it. We are called to continue to follow him in faith. We are called to obey. We're going to be there the whole time. But the Spirit's at work in us and we cannot fall out. We've been sealed for the day of redemption. This is why Hebrews calls Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. This is why in Philippians it says he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ. Christ is going to get you there because it's to the praise of his glorious work and grace on our behalf that he's rich in mercy, as Peter says it, that we're being guarded by God's power. You're not guarded by your power. You're not guarded by your strength. You're not guarded by your focus, love, energy. So often I get to go to the Lord and say, I'm so weak, I'm so distracted. I'm so small and I'm guarded by Him, I'm carried by Him. I'm like a toddler in a car seat in the back of the car. At no point did it suddenly become my responsibility. That's the salvation that we get to have in Christ. We don't have it in anyone or anything else. It's held for us in Christ. Accomplished by Christ, kept by Christ to the glory of Christ.Let's pray and then I'll tell us how we're going to respond. Father, we are thankful for this salvation. We're thankful for you loving us, for you being rich in mercy, for you bringing us from death to life, for you keeping us, for you qualifying us for you, holding us, for you welcoming us. Lord, may our hearts be able to taste that so that we might rejoice in some measure fitting to the glorious nature of this salvation. Lord, for anyone in this room who still stands in their sin, who still walks alienated and hostile, for anyone in this room who is trying to stand in their own morality, who is trying to, by works of the law, justify themselves. Oh Lord, may your spirit break in. May they hear the word of the gospel and may they believe. May you seal them for the day of redemption to the praise of your glorious grace in Jesus name, Amen.As a church, we study the Scriptures, we read the Word, and we respond. It's the way that God works on our behalf and then we respond to him. The way we're going to respond this morning is we're going to take communion as a church family. For those of you who are Christians and have placed faith in Christ, this is where we remember that on the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread and he said, this is my body broken for you. And he took the cup and he said, this is the blood of my covenant poured out for you as a forgiveness of sins. When we take communion, we proclaim his death until he returns. We tangibly, physically remind ourselves that Christ did this for me and I am in him. I'll dip the bread, I'll hold it, juice will run on my fingers and I'll remember that Christ really tangibly actually came and died for me and that I get to partake, that he's in me, that he keeps me, that my hope is in Him. So take this morning and remind yourself that I was dead in my trespasses and sins. But he has grace. He's rich in mercy. My hope is in Him. Tell him once again, Lord, I need you. I need you to redeem me. I need you to keep me. I need you to save me. If you don't do it, it won't happen. But praise Christ that you came and that you died and that you redeemed.If you're in this room and you have not trusted in Jesus, in a moment when we begin to move around, I want you to get up, place your faith in Jesus. I want you to walk down and get on your knees and ask the Lord to save you. I want you to tangibly lock in that I am going to Christ and I am surrendering to Christ, that it is about him and him alone, that my hope is in him and him alone. If you're in elementary school, grab your parent's hand, walk with them. They'll come pray with you. If you have clarifying questions or you need help, I'll stand down here and talk with you as well. But I want you to move and go. Lord, I need the hope of salvation. I need the work of Christ. I don't want to trust myself. I want to surrender. Don't fight with the Spirit. If he's calling you, come because salvation is a gift to be received. Come and ask the Lord to heal you and to save you and to bring you life.Daniel's gonna come up, we're gonna play. We're gonna take communion as a church family. If you haven't trusted in Jesus, I invite you to come and to trust in Him. When you're ready, take communion.

James 2:14-26. James does not contradict the doctrine of justification by faith alone, but uses justification in a different sense than Paul, urging the good works that are the necessary evidence of true faith.

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: For our Justification Speaker: Bobby Quick Broadcaster: Grace Baptist Church Event: Devotional Date: 9/28/2025 Length: 44 min.

Listing need to convert for you to win on Etsy. Here is what ACTUALLY works in getting people to buy your listing.   Let me know if you want more!  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qVPflGOzf-arqG5dATyoMEQJsl9r63_PzokHOqMOxoQ/edit#responses

Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2571 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.comClick the icon below to listen.         Related PodcastsJustified by God #2Justified by God #1Jesus and Justification #2 

In this episode of Passing Judgment, Jessica is joined by David Goodman of the New York Times to break down the unexpected surge of mid-cycle redistricting in Texas. They discuss how political maneuvering by Republicans—aimed at flipping congressional seats—has triggered national reverberations, with states like California now considering similar actions to counter Texas. The episode dives into the partisan motivations, the legal and political pushback, and the threat to independent redistricting commissions. Together, Jessica and David make sense of the fast-evolving redistricting landscape and its far-reaching impact on representation and the future balance of power in Congress.Here are three key takeaways you don't want to miss:Mid-Cycle Redistricting—Why Now? The episode opens with an exploration of why an unusual mid-cycle redistricting is being discussed in 2025, even though redistricting typically happens every ten years after the census. The trigger for this push is political: Republicans, facing a narrow margin in the U.S. House, sought ways to gain additional seats, focusing first on Texas where state Republican control made this feasible.The Politics and Justification of Gerrymandering Both Jessica and David highlight that Texas Republicans were fully open about the political motives behind redrawing district lines—to flip as many as five Democratic seats to Republican. They justified this by pointing out gerrymandering in Democratic-led states and emphasizing partisan advantage as allowed by the Supreme Court, which has found political gerrymandering to be outside federal judicial review.The Domino Effect—Other States Respond Texas's actions triggered similar conversations in other states. However, David points out that most opportunities for follow-on aggressive redistricting are found in Republican-led states because many Democratic-led states (like California and New York) have independent redistricting commissions, which limit the legislature's ability to redraw maps for partisan gain. States specifically considered for similar moves include Indiana, Missouri, and Florida, while California emerged as the prime Democratic candidate, though with significant procedural hurdles.Follow Our Host: @LevinsonJessica

A talk from the 2016 Mbird NYC Conference "Relief". Property of Mockingbird Ministries, all rights reserved (www.mbird.com).

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This episode is a recording from a live event of the Holy Spirit 101 workshop in which Dr. Patty is sharing the segment on Justification and Sanctification.  The sealing of your salvation is justification and the growing of your faith is the sanctification process.  She shares the metaphor of the difference between a seed and it's fruit bearing intention.  Seeds contain the fullness of their designed purpose, yet they need the right conditions to grow into healthy fruit-bearing plants.  The same is true with the Holy Spirit.  The fullness of His capability is deposited as a seed until the the conditions are ripe to release Him in and through each believer.  She shares what the Holy Spirit brings to the table and what can happen when you cooperate with Him that allow the conditions for Him to grow within you.  She leads the rededication prayer of salvation and Jesus baptizes you in the Holy Spirit, activating Him in your heart in your Experience Jesus encounter time. Links referenced in this episode: New to the Podcast?  Check out the Trailer Episode for the Biblical Foundation for Experiencing Jesus!  https://PattyEJ.Podbean.com/e/trailer-episode-experience-jesus-with-dr-patty-sadallah The Special Place Encounter Exercise   https://tinyurl.com/j742vpz4 Check out our two workshop opportunities at https://SpiritLifeWorkshops.com/Upcoming-Workshop   Get Two Free Chapters of the Experience Jesus Book Series  https://pattysadallah.com/free-gift/   Check out all of Dr. Patty's books, journals, and downloadable resources at her bookstore, and don't forget to use the code EJPOD to receive 10% off everything, even the things on sale.  https://PattySadallah.com/shop/     Check out Dr. Patty's latest book- Encountering the POWER  of God: Experience Jesus Book 4 https://pattysadallah.com/product/encountering-the-power-of-god-experience-jesus-book-4/        

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Dr. E. Michael Jones is a prolific Catholic writer, lecturer, journalist, and Editor of Culture Wars Magazine who seeks to defend traditional Catholic teachings and values from those seeking to undermine them. ——— EMJ Live is every Friday at 5:00pm EST Call In - Telegram: t.me/EMichaelJonesChat?videochat Rumble: rumble.com/c/c-920885 Twitter: twitter.com/emichaeljones1 CW Magazine: culturewars.com NOW AVAILABLE!: Walking with a Bible and a Gun: The Rise, Fall and Return of American Identity: https://www.fidelitypress.org/book-products/walking-with-a-bible-and-a-gun

Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2569 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.comClick the icon below to listen.         Related PodcastsJesus and Justification #2Listen and Repent (Through the Psalms) Psalm 81Jesus and Justification #1 

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Summary In this sermon Dr. Michael Easley unpacks Romans 5 by showing six striking contrasts between Adam and Christ that reveal the depth of the gospel. Through Adam's disobedience came sin, condemnation, and death for all. Through Christ's obedience comes grace, justification, and life for those who believe. We are reminded that every person is either “in Adam” or “in Christ”—and our eternal identity rests on that reality. Adam's one sin spread like a contagion, bringing death to all mankind. But in Christ, God gives the free gift of righteousness and eternal life. Where sin reigns, grace overflows in abundance. Dr. Easley stresses that justification is not earned—it is God's declaration that the guilty are made righteous through Christ's work on the cross. The law only magnifies our sin, but grace rescues us. Christ took our place, bore our condemnation, and offers life everlasting. Dr. Easley challenges listeners to consider their true identity: are we clinging to the brokenness of Adam, or have we trusted Christ, who brings forgiveness, freedom, and eternal life? The decision is clear, remain in Adam, or step into the grace and life found only in Christ. Takeaways Adam's sin brought judgment and death, but Christ's obedience brings justification and life. We are either “in Adam” or “in Christ”—our true identity is found in Him. Justification means we are guilty but declared righteous through Christ's work, not our own. Death reigns through Adam, but life reigns through Jesus Christ. Where sin increases, God's grace abounds all the more. The law exposes sin, but only Christ's abundant grace saves and sustains us. To read the book of Romans, click here. Click here for other Michael Easley Sermons.

Never short sell an immeasurably more God.Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer offered on behalf of a complex situation.Never dismiss the impact of obedience (disobedience).Never be afraid of the repercussions of telling the truth in love. One of those repercussions is freedom.When in the dark always ask for more of God. You need Him more than answers, advice or direction.Change always requires change.A desire for change is common, actual change is elusive. Spiritual change always has spiritual opposition. Newton's Law of Motion #1 An object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by a net external force. Application: People tend to stay in the same spiritual and physical spot until the pain of staying exceeds the “pain” required in changing. On the positive side, spiritual momentum is also difficult to stop.Newton's Law of Motion #2 The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. Application: Surrender/Repentance is a powerful force and spiritual change requires it.Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. C.S. Lewis.Newton's Law of Motion #3 For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Application: We pose the greatest threat to Satan's kingdom when we gain spiritual strength, a spiritual family and spiritual momentum. Salvation is the act of freedom and life. Sotiera & Sozo = Deliverance, rescue, freedom, wholeness. Acts 4:8-13 (NIV) 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.'(Psalm 118:22) 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.Salvation being found in no one else other than Jesus, is a non-starter in a relative truth culture. Salvation is the most inclusive offer known to mankind. Salvation has no racial, gender, political, economic or geographic or educational qualifications. BUT salvation has only one gate – Jesus. Sin is a separator, Jesus is a connector. John 3:16 (NIV) 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Part of Satan's deception around salvation is, you don't deserve this and you will be rejected.Justification is a legal action of setting right. Romans 10:9,10 (NIV) 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.With our repentance, surrender and confession, we are cleansed (saved) of all of our sins and the sin barrier between us and God is gone – this is a loving fatherly act. God now declares us justified – in right legal standing, penalty of our sin paid, free! This is His Just Judge “side” of God. Love can't exist without challenge. Salvation = Changed Relationship Justification = Changed StatusSanctification is the act of setting apart. The Hebrew root for sanctification means “set apart” and “brightness”. The difference between salvation, justification and sanctification is we play a more integrated role in our sanctification. While God does all three, sanctification is an ongoing process that requires our cooperation and continual surrender. Sanctification is an ongoing process of change. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NIV) As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.“how to live” points to an ongoing process. “more and more” is an ongoing advancement. Romans 7 & 8 deserves a slow readSalvation = Changed Relationship. Justification = Changed Status. Sanctification = Changed LivingRomans 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.The Process of Change…Respond in offering yourself in worship. Offer your whole selfThe more you hold onto yourself, the less you can hold onto God.Stop the conforming. Stopping Starves. Starved things die. Reject cultures attempt to squeeze you into their mold.Start the transforming. The fuel of spiritual transformation is spiritual mind renewal. The Word challenges and changes your thinking. The Truth of God's word is the only force strong enough for transformation. The best case for change is to hear/see and offer testimonies of change. Revelation 12:11(NIV) They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Let's celebrate some triumphing with some testimony. John 11:43b-44 (NIV) 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”To exit death, you have to respond to Jesus' call to life. Once alive, ditch the dead stuff. Undeniable life comes with unavoidable backlash. Life QuestionsIs Jesus calling you out of a grave, today? Come forth!What dead stuff do you need to ditch? Ask for help and participate in stripping off the dead stuff that doesn't match the living God.Don't be afraid to live the life of Christ in dead circles. Everybody needs this life.

In this special episode on atonement, Rabbi shares how we can be acquitted of sin, how we become holy and set apart, and how we can resist the attacks of the enemy. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner  **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES - https://djj.show/qra   Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com

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What does it mean to be justified? The Catechism teaches us today about the grace of the Holy Spirit and its power to justify us. Fr. Mike explains how justification detaches us from sin and purifies our hearts. We learn that justification brings about a marvelous inward transformation that bears witness to God's great mercy. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1987-1995. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this Episode Austin Edwards preaches through Galatians 2:11-21(September 14, 2025)

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark recaps his weekend and discusses the latest updates on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Mark is then joined by Josh Hammer, a Newsweek Senior Editor at Large and the Host of The Josh Hammer Show (Saturday's at 1PM on 97.1 FM Talk). Josh remembers his good friend, Charlie Kirk following his assassination. He discusses how good of a person he was, the impact his death will have on society, and how the media is responding to his death. He's later joined by Missouri State Senator Nick Schroer. State Senator Schroer discusses Governor Kehoe's second Special Session ending this past Friday, the Congressional Redistricting and an addressing of the Initiative Petition Reform. In hour 2, Sue hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day, and much more. Mark then discusses last night's Emmy Award winners. He's later joined by KSDK Sports Director Frank Cusumano who discusses some of the notable NFL and College Football games from over the weekend. In hour 3, Mark is joined by David Strom, an Associate Editor with HotAir. He discusses the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the radical left's horrible response to it. He's later joined by CNN Political Contributor Scott Jennings. Jennings remembers his friend, Charlie Kirk who was assassinated last week. Jennings shares his frustration with the radical left's ideology and how it has caused political violence. He wraps up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

HAVE MERCY Luke 18.9-14 Dr. Gordon Dabbs Luke 18.9 (ESV) He (Jesus) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt… Jesus tells a fictional story, with a non-fictional point: Luke 18.10-14 (ESV) “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 19.10 (ESV) The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Jesus wasn't about maintaining appearances. He was about transforming hearts. “We have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace; too proud to pray to the God that made us.” ~ Abraham Lincoln The Pharisee prayed about himself. The tax collector prayed for himself. The author of Hebrews invites sinners like us: Hebrews 4.16 (ESV) Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and find grace to help us when we need it most. We come boldly—not because we're impressive—but because Jesus is. Paul unpacks this in Romans 3. No one is righteous by keeping the law (v 20) … All have sinned and fall short (v 23) … and are justified freely by His grace (v 24). If you're feeling spiritually underqualified, you're right where you need to be. Jesus came for those who know they're a mess and are ready to cry out for mercy. A color commentary about the parable: • Mercy flows downhill. • Comparison is a terrible spiritual strategy. • You can be religious and still far from God. • Justification isn't achieved—it's received. Which is your prayer today: “God, look at all I've done” -or- “God, have mercy on me”? Only ONE of those changes your eternity.Subscribe to PRESTONCREST - with Gordon Dabbs on Soundwise

Paul points us back to Abraham as am example of true faith-showing that we are justified not by works of the law, but by believing in the promise of God.

Pastor David teaches on justification by faith from Romans 3.

2 Kings - Hezekiah Reigns over Judah, Hezekiah Victorious, Invasion of Judah.Romans - Results of Justification.

Dogma, Justification, Martha and Mary and much more on this Friday edition of Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders.

Isaiah - God Commands That Babylon Be Taken, Oracles about Edom and Arabia, The Valley of Vision, The Fall of Tyre, Judgment on the EarthRomans - Foundations for Living, Justification by Faith

“What are the earliest writings about the Mass?” Discover the historical roots of this central Catholic practice, along with discussions on the early Church’s interpretation of 1 John 5:13 and the significance of healing in the Bible. Join us as we explore these foundational topics and more in this enlightening episode. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:00 – What are the earliest writings about the mass that we have? 04:30 – Would you consider writing a book on justification? 12:26 – What are the earliest Catholic Church buildings and where was the altar located in those churches? 16:25 – Jesus promises to heal in the bible but people deflect and say that healing happens in the next life. What are your thoughts on that? Does God want you to suffer here to get more reward in heaven? 22:34 – What was the early Church’s interpretation of 1 John 5:13? 28:30 – Continued – Jesus promises to heal in the bible but people deflect and say that healing happens in the next life. What are your thoughts on that? Does God want you to suffer here to get more reward in heaven? 44:26 – What are the earliest writings about the mass that we have? 50:38 – Did the writing of the same Shepard Hermas hold the same weight as the Didiache, writing of St. Clemente of Rome and others?

This week, Paul unpacks the “double gift” of justification: through Christ we are not only forgiven, but also declared righteous, empowered to live a new life by his resurrection power.Join us for a weekly narration of Paul Tripp's popular devotional. You can subscribe to our email list to receive this devotional straight to your inbox each week, or read online at PaulTripp.com/Wednesday or on Facebook, Instagram, and the Paul Tripp App.If you've been enjoying the Wednesday's Word podcast, please leave us a review! Each review helps us reach more people with the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

If you're curious as to if you have any stored emotions or trauma that might be causing your illness, preventing you from achieving your or even just showing up as the best, authentic version of yourself, I invite you to take my free Stored Emotions and Trauma QuizWhat if the very thing you think makes you sound credible is actually weakening your voice?In this episode, the spotlight is on overexplaining and how it sneaks into everyday conversations, from patient visits to talks with friends. Six root causes fuel this cycle, including toxic thought loops, gaslighting, family dynamics, and the fear of silence. Personal stories reveal how rambling dilutes authority and leadership, even when the intention is good. The brain's wiring for safety and early childhood patterns show why this habit is so hard to break, but there are two practical strategies that offer a way forward to stop the spiral, retrain the brain, and speak with clarity and confidence.You'll Learn:How to recognize the signs that you're overexplainingWhy the brain wires this habit as a safety mechanismThe six root causes that drive overexplaining (you might have more than one)How toxic thought patterns set the stage for ramblingWhat happens when gaslighting or narcissistic dynamics distort your truthWhy overexplaining can become a barrier when you haven't felt heardThe peacekeeper role and how blame can fuel overexplainingWhy being chatty often fills the silence and masks discomfortTwo ways to start overcoming the verbal vomit cycle todayTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[06:02] How the brain wires overexplaining as a safety response[07:12] Toxic thought patterns as the first root cause[08:04] Being gaslit or living with a narcissist[10:57] Overexplaining as a barrier when you haven't been heard[12:34] Justification to prove worthiness or avoid judgment[14:05] The peacekeeper role and carrying blame[16:00] How chatty space-filling masks anxiety or discomfort[21:27] Neurodivergence and traumatic brain injury as factors[22:58] Two practical ways to disrupt and rewire the overexplaining cycleResources Mentioned:How Your Birthdate Can Reveal Patterns of Challenges and Transformation with Michelle Dowker | Spotify or AppleFind More From Dr. Stephanie Davis:Dr. Stephanie Davis | WebsiteQuantum Rx | InstagramQuantum Rx | Skool

Romans 3:21-5:2 andHeidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 23

This meeting centered on the theme of justification, exploring the contrast between living under the law's framework and resting in Christ's finished work. We discussed the significance of faith in trials, the meaning of grace, and the role of humility in receiving God's love. Biblical insights highlighted justification, sanctification, and the ongoing presence of sin, while encouraging trust in God's timing for growth and understanding. Testimonies of faith and peace in difficult circumstances reinforced the importance of fellowship and gratitude.Themes:Justification apart from the law (Job; Romans 1:17)Faith in God during trials and chaotic circumstancesGrace as “gifts upon gifts” (John 1:16)Humility as the proper place of learning to receive God's loveLeaven and leprosy as pictures of corrupt influences (1 Corinthians 5; Leviticus 13)Sin's power broken, though its presence remainsPropitiation and Christ as our advocate (1 John 2:1–2)Sanctification and the Spirit's role in transformationResting in Christ as refuge and intimacy with GodTrusting God's timing for growth and understandingScripture References:Romans 1:17; Job; John 1:16; 1 Corinthians 5; Leviticus 13; 1 John 2:1–2

Do you find yourself making excuses for drinking, even when you know it's not serving you? This episode explores the neuroscience and psychology behind these powerful justifications. Coach Matt breaks down the cognitive biases and social pressures that reinforce the belief that drinking is okay, even when it's causing harm. Learn how the brain's reward system and weakened prefrontal cortex make you susceptible to thoughts like, "Just one won't hurt" or, "I've had a rough day" . Discover how to build awareness without shame, strengthen your impulse control through mindfulness, and replace old excuses with your core values like health, connection, and integrity. This episode will help you expose the excuses that keep you stuck and choose a new, more empowering path.   Download my FREE guide: The Alcohol Freedom Formula For Over 30s Entrepreneurs & High Performers: https://social.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/podcast ★ - Learn more about Project 90: www.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/Project90 ★ - (Accountability & Support) Speak verbally to a certified Alcohol-Free Lifestyle coach to see if, or how, we could support you having a better relationship with alcohol: https://www.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/schedule ★ - The wait is over – My new book “CLEAR” is now available. Get your copy here: https://www.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/clear

Make no mistake about where the moral authority stands here. This isn't something we need to be on the defense about. It's something we need to be on the attack about. Reading by Tim Foley.

Are atheists secretly borrowing from God? Frank Turek with Cross Examined reveals how atheism needs God to make its case!Join Michael Rowntree and Michael Miller as they welcome apologist Frank Turek, author of Stealing from God, to explore the hidden dependencies of atheism on theism. Turek argues that atheists unknowingly “steal” concepts like morality, reason, and causality from a Christian worldview to make their arguments against God. We'll discuss the "problem" of evil, intelligent design, and the resurrection of Jesus, equipping you to defend your faith with confidence. This episode is a must-watch for anyone seeking to understand the intellectual foundations of atheism and the enduring power of Christian apologetics.0:00 – Introduction: Stealing From God 2:30 – Introducing Frank Turek and Stealing From God 4:43 – Atheists Stealing From God 6:28 – Morality From an Evolutionary Perspective 9:28 – Justification for Objective Morality 12:08 – Atheism as a Cracked Foundation 14:45 – Atheism More Certainly False Than Christianity Is True 17:13 – A Brief Argument for Jesus's Resurrection 30:54 – Apologetic on a Bus 37:50 – Materialism and Free Thought 44:55 – Engaging Atheists and Moral Objectivity 1:02:29 – Closing Thoughts Subscribe to The Remnant Radio newsletter and receive our FREE introduction to spiritual gifts eBook. Plus, get access to: discounts, news about upcoming shows, courses and conferences - and more. Subscribe now at TheRemnantRadio.com.Support the showABOUT THE REMNANT RADIO:

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text!Today's episode tackles a challenge every ELA teacher knows well: getting students to move beyond simply summarizing a text and into true analysis.This episode, From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious, is all about helping students answer the big “So what?”—why their evidence matters, how to justify their thinking, and what it takes to turn plot retellings into meaningful insights.Caitlin will walk you through why students often default to summary, practical scaffolds you can use to push them deeper, and classroom activities—like color-coding exercises and even a game called “Justification Jumble”—that will make analysis feel approachable, engaging, and doable for every student.And don't forget—our free 3-Day Writing Workshop is coming up soon on September 23–25 at 5 PM PT. If you're ready to transform your writing instruction and give your students the tools to write with clarity and confidence, head to www.ebteacher.com/writing-workshop to save your spot.

Jim Chapman Covers the breaking news on the indictment of New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell and her Bodyguard, former NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie for various counts of misuse of public funds to carry on a romantic relationship for years in the City of New Orleans.Timestamps02:54 Allegations Against Cantrell and Vappie08:24 Background on Jeffrey Vappie09:42 LaToya Cantrell: The Mayor's Profile11:31 Justifications for EPU Member Accompanying Mayor13:15 Costly Trips to Various Destinations16:30 The Pontalba Apartments Connection18:46 Personal Connection to the Story22:38 The Investigation Deepens24:17 Conspiracy: The Scheme Unveiled30:12 False Statements and Evidence TamperingFor commercial free early releases, bonus episodes, quarterly gifts and rare files join us on Patreon! Https://www.patreon.com/exposedpodcastfilesFollow “Crime Wire Weekly” on it's new channel HERE:Apple Podcasts  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crime-wire-weekly/id1815864889Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3zyrgjtW6gLUVbicJaYXV9?si=0dbf4983938344a2Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3738411d-828e-4138-9976-223ab5de2c87/the-crime-wire-weekly Luxurious bamboo sheets, pajamas, & more and 41% off for listeners of Exposed by using the code EXPOSED at checkout! https://cozyearth.com/discount/EXPOSEDBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/exposed-scandalous-files-of-the-elite--6073723/support.

Dr. Jordan Cooper of Just and Sinner Does Philippians 2:12 Disprove Justification by Faith Alone? The Doctrine of God Just and Sinner Dr. Cooper's Website The post Does Philippians 2:12 Disprove Justification through Faith Alone? – Dr. Jordan Cooper, 9/3/25 (2464) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Why doesn't freedom from law mean freedom to sin? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 7:1–6 to show how the risen Christ creates new hearts that bear real fruit.