Proud Works vs. Humble Faith

When he was in anguish, Jesus rested his soul in the sovereign wisdom of God. 

Faith in God’s forgiveness means savoring the truth that a forgiving God is the most precious reality in the universe. 

All the wrongs that have been done against us by believers were avenged in the death of Jesus. Look to the cross of Christ. 

There is a huge difference in the way God operates and the way mankind operates. Unlike us, He thinks and works on a much higher level than we are capable of. God blesses us not because we are good, but because He is good; the grace He shows us is not based on what we do, but bec ... Show More

To get a clearer picture of God, we need to understand His unearned, undeserved favor toward us. His grace goes far beyond simply forgiving our sins; it is His way of dealing with those who receive Christ. Grace provides assurance, stability, and direction in the lives of believe ... Show More

Many people consider the quality of "meekness" to be a sign of weakness in a person and therefore, undesirable. Christ once again turns a worldly belief upside down: Jesus tell us that the "meek shall inherit the earth" - not the 'strong'. In fact, meekness in biblical terms is d ... Show More

The theme throughout the old testament is that of the coming Messiah. We learn in today's passage that Jesus - the Messiah - came not to negate the law, but instead, as the fulfillment of all the law and the prophets. He is the true Messiah for whom the people had long-awaited. J ... Show More

Friends, the readings for this Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time take us to very holy ground. In the first reading, taken from the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, we hear the “shema,” a prayer fundamental to Jewish theology and spirituality. And in the Gospel, when one of the sc ... Show More

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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ... Show More

If God justifies by faith apart from works, then why do some passages seem to suggest that forgiveness comes through the act of baptism?