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Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

...t through baptism, raised to new life in Christ. I won't go into this topic too much now, as I've written on it plenty before here and here. I just wanted to focus our minds on the victory we have because of Jesus and what he did for us this day, centuries ago. I'll close with this worship song which celebrates the resurrection, which I really like. Focus on the words of the song and praise God for Jesus! Happy Easter, everyone....

Spiritual Disciplines of the Early Church: Ancient Practices for the 21st Century

...e, and in baptism ritual turning East was a sign of turning away from the devil towards Christ (Jews similarly prayed facing Jerusalem). This is also why many old church buildings are cross-shaped and have the alter end pointing Eastward. For it is required that you pray toward the east, as knowing that which is written: ‘Give ye glory to God, who rideth upon the heaven of heavens toward the east’ (Ps 67.34 LXX [Ps. 68:33 – 34]). Didascalia, Ch. XII (c.250) The various spiritual benefits to fasting are marked throughout the Church Fathers' works on the subject, but I find this quote from Augustine sums it up succinctly: “Fasting cleanses the so...

Slavery in the Bible – Does God Condone Slavery?

...again by baptism, repeating a prayer, good works or by any other means than by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You must surrender your soul to Him and place all of your trust in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you placed your trust in Jesus Christ? If not, you can today. You can right now, just as you are! He saves sinners. If you’re a broken sinner, come to Him and receive the free gift of salvation. Matthew 11:28-30“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy...

The Gospel of Jeffrey Dahmer

...rent post-baptism too according to Roy Ratcliff, although he didn’t get much time to live after converting — he was baptised in May 1994 and bludgeoned to death by another inmate November of that same year. But the point remains, which is the heart of the Gospel: God’s grace and mercy are far bigger than we can ever comprehend, as much as we might not like it, God can save whomever HE wills, not whoever WE prefer. Like the thief on the cross, who also faced the consequences of his crimes yet cried out to Jesus in his final moments, anyone can be saved, no matter their past. This is the Gospel in its simplest terms. Don’t get me wrong, Jeffrey Dahm...

The Coming of Jesus: Our Future Hope - What Now?

...Through baptism we are born again into our new bodies, spiritually speaking (Col 2:12), whilst we wait to put on and clothe ourselves with immortality fully upon physical death by our resurrected bodies (1 Cor 15:54).   In terms of the new creation in contrast to the old, the early Christians had a belief and view of the resurrection of Jesus as being the beginning of the new creation – the eighth day they called it. The epistle of Barnabas conveys it well: The sabbaths, that now are, are not acceptable unto me, but that which I have made is, even that in which, after that I have brought all things to an end, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day...

Did the Early Church invent the Trinity?

...oncerning baptism, baptise this way: Having first said all these things, baptise into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living [running] water. … But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. — Didache 7:1, A.D. 70. Clement of Alexandria (c. 95-140) Do we not have one God and one Christ and one Spirit of grace which was poured out upon us? And is there not one calling in Christ? — 1 Clement 46:6, ~A.D. 95 Brothers, we ought to think of Jesus Christ, as we do of God, as ‘Judge of the living and the dead’ — 2 Clement 1:1, ~A.D. 95–14...