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What was so good about Good Friday?

...ere is no forgiveness for our sins. If Christ did not die, then he could not be raised. If Christ did not die, then there was no atonement for our sins (1 Jn 2:2; 1 Jn 4:10). And that is why Good Friday is good. Because without the death of Jesus, there is no redemptive forgiveness from God and thus no hope for ourselves. Eph 1:7-8a In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. Happy Easter everyone :)...

The Gospel of Jeffrey Dahmer

...d for his forgiveness. — Eriq Jäger (@MilkToastOnRye) September 27, 2022 Now, a little context in case you are unaware: Dahmer professed faith in Jesus, repented and was baptised while in prison. The minister who baptised him, Roy Ratcliff, also met with him weekly for one-hour Bible studies and pastoral care. He even wrote a book about the experience and was convinced his conversion was genuine. I’m going to state something off the back of this which will no doubt offend some, but it is for this reason that Paul says the truth of the Gospel is offensive: If you can’t accept that Jeffrey Dahmer could be welcomed into the Kingdom of God, then you d...

The Author of Life Knew Death For Our Sake!

...ts to the forgiveness of sin and new birth. Through “the water of rebirth” we receive the “renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5) that gives new life, and, as Peter says, “as an appeal to God for a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:21). Baptism brings about forgiveness and displays our repentance over our former life. Similarly, it is through the partaking of the Eucharist that we take on the eternal life that Jesus gives, to become a “partaker of the Lord’s immortality” as Clement of Alexandria wrote, and to make a reality the eating of the bread of life and being sustained by “every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut. 8:3)....

Lent Day 39: Leo the Great: Sermon XLIX (On Lent XI)

...side from forgiveness and reconciliation amongst ourselves, Leo also says that our fast-times should be “fat and abound” with regards to almsgiving and care of the poor. “Let each bestow on the weak and destitute those dainties which he denies himself”, Leo says, which is reminiscent of other ancient sources which say similar things with regards to fasting, and to giving to the poor whatever you didn't use for yourself that day. Leo ends this sermon with an interesting view on forgiveness of sins being tied to baptism, repentance and almsgiving, and also quotes Sirach 3:30 as Scripture to back up his point. Regardless of that, it is right to focus on...

The Real St. Nicholas: A Man of Virtue, Not Violence

...love and forgiveness: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” (Matthew 5:38–39) “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) If St. Nicholas truly slapped Arius, it would be an action in direct opposition to these commands. As a bishop of Christ, Nicholas would have been called to model patience, kindness, and forgiveness — even in the face of heresy. His life of service suggests that he likely did. A regular meme I see online annually The True St. Ni...

The Coming of Jesus: Coming on the clouds

...ction and forgiveness of Christ! Jesus's coming which he spoke of here was never to do with a physical return, but was always a prophetic reference to him visiting Jerusalem in judgement, just like God had done in previous generations, when he spoke to the people through prophets using this type of figurative language. When we can clearly see that all of these visitations by God in the Old Testament, using the same phrases and language that Jesus used, were prophetic and symbolic references to God using armies and other nations to bring war and destruction on something as judgement against them as though God himself had done it, why then do we suddenly expec...