JAMES 1 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like (James 1:22–23). God’s law is like a mirror: it reflects things. The first thing … Continue reading “THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW”
SIN AND GOD’S LAW
ROMANS 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what it was to covet if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” (Romans 7:7). As we saw last Friday, sin can … Continue reading “SIN AND GOD’S LAW”
ARE THERE DEGREES OF SIN?
LUKE 12 “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will he beaten with few blows” (Luke 12:47–48a). A few years ago a secular psychologist … Continue reading “ARE THERE DEGREES OF SIN?”
THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN
EPHESIANS 2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1). “Everybody makes mistakes.” We have all heard people say this and what it means is that everybody is a sinner—except that they want to excuse their sin by calling it a mere “mistake.” Secular people believe that human beings are … Continue reading “THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN”
TREASON AGAINST GOD
ROMANS 3 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The history of David’s fall provides an ideal place for us to stop and take a longer look at the biblical doctrine of sin. Beginning today and through next week we shall examine man’s sinfulness in several dimensions, using … Continue reading “TREASON AGAINST GOD”
DAVID’S GREAT SIN
2 SAMUEL 11 The woman [Bathsheba] conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant” (2 Samuel 11:5). God made David king and placed him as guardian of the kingdom, just as He made Adam the first guardian of a garden. Similarly, just as Adam fell by seizing forbidden fruit, so David fell from … Continue reading “DAVID’S GREAT SIN”
DAVID BECOMES KING
2 SAMUEL 5 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel (2 Samuel 5:3). David had a good legal claim to be Saul’s successor. Saul had repeatedly called him “my son” … Continue reading “DAVID BECOMES KING”
THE DEATH OF SAUL
1 SAMUEL 28 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her” (1 Samuel 28:7). When Saul tried to kill David, David fled with some of his loyal men. On their way into the wilderness they stopped at Nob where the tabernacle … Continue reading “THE DEATH OF SAUL”
DAVID’S ADOPTION INTO ROYALTY
1 SAMUEL 18 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt (1 Samuel 18:4). In 1 Samuel 17, we read that the Philistines assembled to make war on Israel and sent out a giant named Goliath to … Continue reading “DAVID’S ADOPTION INTO ROYALTY”
THE INSANITY OF SAUL
1 SAMUEL 16:14–23 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him (1 Samuel 16:14). After Saul’s third rebellion against the Lord, God told Samuel to anoint someone else king. Leading him to the house of Jesse, the Lord commanded Samuel to anoint David as … Continue reading “THE INSANITY OF SAUL”