Digging in Deeper – Page 154

Digging in Deeper: Romans 6:20, 22

April 13, 2018April 10, 2018Leave a comment

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. . . .But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

This is one of the more confusing arguments Paul makes over the course of his letter to the church in Rome. First, he says Christians were slaves of sin before being saved, then, he says that Christians, once they have been saved and set free from sin, are slaves of God. So we are saved from slavery only to enter into another kind of slavery? What gives? Why not just stay where we were at first? Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Romans 8:37

April 11, 2018April 10, 2018Leave a comment

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

I have never surfed. Admittedly, I’ve never been in a really big hurry to try. It looks fun, but I have long been just a bit weary about the water. A couple of experiences growing up cemented this for me. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Acts 20:24

April 6, 2018April 4, 2018Leave a comment

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you ever been asked the conversation-starting question of with whom in history you would most like to have dinner? I’ve heard several people answer that they would like to have dinner with Jesus because who wouldn’t want to have dinner with Jesus? I’ll tell you who: Just about everyone who actually did. From the various reports of people eating with Jesus in the Gospels, He would have been a terrible dinner guest. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: John 21:17

April 4, 2018March 31, 2018Leave a comment

“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.'” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you ever told someone you love them? I suspect you have. I suspect you’ve even meant it. But, how deeply did you mean it? Were they merely sincere words, or was there more behind them? Were they primarily emotional words, or was there a conviction that ran deeper? Saying, “I love you,” is easy. Loving someone is entirely more difficult. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Matthew 6:25

March 30, 2018March 29, 2018Leave a comment

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Jesus tells us not to worry and instead to trust in Him. He presents worrying about even basic life necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing as a sinful mistrust in the Lord. I remember still the first time I read these words and truly understood them. They had a profound impact on me. With only a few exceptions, I have largely purged worry from my own life because of them. Sometimes, though, I have let this intention to not worry drift too far in the other direction which is laziness. This prompts and interesting (at least to me!) question in my mind: What does it look like to live free from worry in such a way that honors Christ? Read the rest…