Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

May 14, 2013 · 7:49 pm

The Best Way to Live Your Life

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” NIV

Pleasing God is the best way to live your life. God is already pleased with us because Christ is “in” us and we are “in” Christ. Now, God wants us to follow Christ’s lead in our lives by obeying Him and fulfilling His desires.

Too simple? There’s got to be more to Christianity than that? Sorry. Spiritual success is no more complicated than doing what the Spirit desires. “…those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

Living the Grace Life comes in two parts:

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April 20, 2013 · 3:18 pm

Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 19)

“… and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:4

Romans 1:1-4 is one sentence. Verse 4 is the last part of that sentence and a vital component in the opening statement of Paul’s amazing letter to Christians in Rome. The context is Paul’s greeting to the saints (Romans 1:7) that includes the following Christian doctrines (teaching):

  • Paul is a bondservant of Jesus Christ
  • Paul is called to be an apostle
  • Paul is separated to the Gospel of God
  • God promised His Gospel before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures (Old Testament)
  • The Gospel concerns God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
  • Jesus was born of the seed of David according to the flesh
  • Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead

Romans 1:1-4 is Paul’s opening salvo concerning the Person of Jesus Christ. The Apostle is writing a letter to the Romans in preparation for his trip to see them. Some of the Romans knew what Paul taught about Christ, but many had not heard Paul preach. People often lied about Paul’s teaching and the Apostle wrote letters to address those lies. As Paul prepared to go to Rome, he made sure that no one would misunderstand what he believed and taught about the Humanity and Deity of Jesus Christ. Paul made clear that the Gospel he preached concerned the Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ – the Son of God.

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April 5, 2013 · 7:28 pm

Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 18)

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18

There is a supernatural being in the universe who is “anti” Christ. In fact, he is called the Antichrist. The people who follow the Antichrist and oppose Jesus Christ are called “antichrists.” The Greek word the Apostle John chose to use for “antichrists” is antichristoi. The word for “Antichrist” is antichristos. Both words have the idea of being “against Christ” and “instead of Christ”. The Antichrist is both “against” Christ and desirous to be “instead of” Christ.

What we know about Satan is that he is a “liar.” In fact, Jesus said that Satan is “a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44) Satan uses lies to oppose Christ and His Message of Truth. In fact, the devil and his followers deny that Jesus is the Christ.

“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22

Another lie is that Christ did not come in the flesh.

“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:2-3

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 2 John 1:7

This deception, that Christ did not come in the flesh, has been a primary tool of Satan since the middle of the 1st Century. Defending the “humanity” of Christ is a battle the Church has waged for almost 2,000 years. We can learn a great deal about how to fight that battle by looking at how Christians who lived before us opposed this false doctrine.

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March 30, 2013 · 4:32 pm

Why Jesus Rose

“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ And they remembered His words.” Luke 24:1-8

The power of these verses is staggering! A man was brutally killed on a wooden cross, buried in a tomb, and came back to life three days later. During the days following the Resurrection, people who knew this Man well see Him, touch Him, hear Him, talk to Him, eat with Him, and learn from Him. They spend many days and nights with Him, then watch as He ascends into the sky surrounded by angels. Is this a fairy tale? lie? legend? No! It’s the truth.

Jesus Christ is that Man. He was delivered into the hands of sinful men who mocked and killed Him. Jesus is the Man Who died the cruel death of crucifixion. He was the Man buried in a tomb guarded by Roman soldiers so that no one could take away His body. Jesus was the Man Who rose from death to live again. Jesus was the Man who proved His resurrection to hundreds of people before returning to Heaven by ascending into the sky with His angels. Jesus is the Man!

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March 28, 2013 · 7:46 pm

Why Jesus Died

Non-Christians have difficulty understanding why Christians make such a big deal about the death of Jesus Christ. As a former atheist, I understand why that seems strange to people who do not believe Jesus was anything more than just a man. However, for those of us who believe Jesus is both God and Man, we understand that His death is at the core of our spiritual salvation. If Jesus had not died, we would not be saved. It’s as simple as that.

Unfortunately, many Christians today understand little about what they believe. That lack of knowledge leads to a lack of appreciation for what Christ did on the Cross. It also makes explaining the importance of Christ’s death to non-Christians difficult and sometimes embarrassing. The two doctrines most fundamental to Christianity are the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this first part of our special Easter study, we will look at Why Jesus Died. In the second part, we will see Why Jesus Rose.

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March 23, 2013 · 7:01 pm

Easter – One Act of Righteousness

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.” Romans 5:18

What an amazing statement! One act of righteousness on the part of Jesus Christ was enough to bring life for all men. What was this “righteousness” that brought about such outstanding results for the human race?

“Righteousness” is an English translation of the Greek word dikaiomatos. It means “a righteous act or deed.” The root word means “right, just.” Jesus did the “right” thing and it brought life for all people.

Jesus always did the “right” thing during His life on earth. Every step He made, every word He spoke, every action He took was “the right thing.” He told His disciples: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17). Jesus came to earth to do everything “right.” He followed the rules. He stayed focused on doing the “right” things. All of His “right” actions were leading to one act of righteousness that would spell “L-I-F-E” for all people. That moment was the Cross.

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March 17, 2013 · 3:50 pm

Easter – The Power of Together

Easter is a great day for Christians around the world to rejoice at the Power and Victory of our Faith. The grave could not hold our Savior and it cannot hold us. Death had no power over our Lord and Master and it has no power over us.

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

We are a FREE people. We are FREE from the fear of death. It has no power over us because it has no power over our Lord. Why? Because He died for our sins and rose for our right to live forever with Him in Paradise. We don’t waste away after our physical death. We go to be with Christ in His Glorious Kingdom and reign with Him forever. Our bodies will be raised up one day and become like His Glorious Body.

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March 10, 2013 · 7:49 am

Celebrating the Resurrection

The Christian Church has been celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ for centuries. The New Testament does not mention it, but churches were most likely remembering the Resurrection every year from at least the early part of the second century AD, if not earlier.

Some early Church documents describe an observance that began on Saturday evening with a vigil that continued until early Sunday morning when new Christians would be baptized and believers would share in the Lord’s Supper. By the end of the third century, Christians were remembering Christ’s Crucifixion on Good Friday and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

We started publishing GraceLife Thoughts on the Internet 18 years ago (March 1995). One of the great joys we’ve had during that time has been sharing about the Death, Burial and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ during the days leading up to Easter. As the Apostle Paul wrote so beautifully almost 2,000 years ago:

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

As we approach another Easter, we wanted to share with you some of the GraceLife Thoughts from previous years. We pray they will be a blessing to you and your family.

The Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ – True or False?

Three Weeks Until Easter

The Holy Week: Lessons for Discipleship

The Holy Week: The Lesson of Opposition

The Holy Week: The Lesson of C’s

The Holy Week: Lessons of Pain

The Holy Week: Lessons of Life!

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

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February 28, 2013 · 8:01 pm

Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 17)

” … concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh …” Romans 1:3

The Apostle Paul had the ability to say so much with so few words. Jesus is God the Son, Messiah, Lord God, and Seed of David according to the flesh. The Apostle John also had that ability:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us …” John 1:1, 14

I was an atheist before becoming a Christian, so I didn’t believe that Jesus was God or man. I thought he was just a myth or legend. However, because of the answers I received to a multitude of questions about the historicity of Jesus, I came to see that He was a man who claimed to be God even before I “believed” He was God and man. If an enquiring atheist can see that Jesus was a real flesh and blood man who claimed to be God, why can’t people who believe in God and the Bible see that?

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February 22, 2013 · 8:16 pm

Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 16)

” … concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh …” Romans 1:3

In our last study we looked at the importance that Jesus Christ “was born of the seed of David.” That connected Jesus to both His position as the promised Messiah who would rule from the throne of His father David, and to God’s promise to Eve that her Seed would bruise (crush) the head of the seed of the serpent and God’s promise to Abraham concerning his Seed. Today, we will look at what being born “according to the flesh” means to Jews and Gentiles.

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