Paul in this passage answer the likely objections of his readers who might point to their Father Abraham and ask how then was he saved? Surely by his works, his flesh? Without the law, which could not have saved him anyway and because Jesus had not come yet – how could he be saved? Paul […]

Paul has spent the best part of chapters 1 and 2 building up a case of guilt, of sin against, first the gentiles and then the Jews. So that he can get to the key verse of chapter 3. Verse 9 says all are under sin. The weight of the realisation that this includes and […]

If there are lessons to be learnt from Asa for us as individuals is that as Christians, we can become less gracious and in fact harsh as we become older. The more important lesson is that we start to rely on ourselves too much and less on God! Our natural inclination is to rely on […]

We sometimes think to ourselves that people cannot escape a legacy of depravity? We sometimes think that people are forever trapped by their upbringing; that they are merely products of their environment? The thing was that our text tells us that God refused to destroy Abijah’s house because of his promise and love for a […]

To me the whole thing is about forgiveness and grace. We sin, and yet, we can come to God at any time and find mercy. In the Old Testament the people suffered the consequences of their own sin but in the New Testament Jesus does – and in that we experience grace. Solomon’s prayer seems […]

We continue our series through the first chapter of John. The passage helps us to ask the question whether we can know God? All along we are looking to also answer the question of who this man Jesus is? Verses 14-18 speak of Glory, Grace and a Gift. Jesus is the radiance of the Glory […]

In this parable, we see the prodigal planner and the party pooper. As the younger son returns with his pre-prepared plan to be a hired servant and hopefully work his way back into his father’s favour, the father contradicts his plan as he welcomes him and reinstates him into the family.  It is such a […]

The Lord’s Supper, which was meant to be an earthly picture of a heavenly reality, had become disfigured and was now a really ugly picture of Christ’s Church. Paul, in that sense says, “It does more harm than good…” (v. 17). He suggests to the rich that if they are hungry they eat at home, […]