Articles

There are few doctrines as important for Christians to understand as justification. So significant is it that Martin Luther referred to it as “the principal article of all Christian doctrine.”¹ He even went so far as to say, “If the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost.”² In other words, justification is a main thing, and it is a plain thing. It is not peripheral; it is absolutely central. It’s hard to fathom questions that are more fundamental than “How in the world can a sinful man or a woman be reconciled to a holy God?”

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Are all spiritual gifts described in the Bible still active today? Christians vary widely in their answer to this question. In fact, more division and controversy ensue here than in any other area of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. And yet we must arrive at a biblical perspective on this crucial issue while recognizing that not all Christians will agree on everything.

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The question “Are you born again?” has been a familiar one in evangelical churches of the last century, and it has been common for people to describe themselves as “born-again” Christians. Yet many, even in Christian circles, may hear a question like that and say, along with Nicodemus, “Born again! … What do you mean?” (John 3:4, TLB). In the popular understanding of these words, there is a great deal that is misunderstood, and the resulting confusion can be a barrier to faith.

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What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? The New Testament shows they are given to strengthen the church and are a picture of divine unity in the body of Christ. In light of this, it should grieve us when they become a point of division in our fellowships. Yet there are few areas of biblical doctrine that are more prone to produce mistrust and judgment among us than this one.

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Jesus’ ministry was expansive and comprehensive. Men and women turned to Him in faith, and their lives were dramatically changed. Matthew 9:35 tells us He “went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.” By His works and the power of His words, He brought the kingdom of God to the people of Israel.

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Few aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry have caused greater division in the church than those of Spirit baptism and spiritual fullness. Yet whenever the New Testament speaks of these things, it does so in terms of unity, not division. The baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit, rightly understood, should be sources of the church’s unity.

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H. Norman Wright, a licensed marriage and family counselor, once described a situation that another man had brought to him in the course of his ministry:

A new woman came to work in our office. We struck up an acquaintance and began to talk each day over coffee. In time she began to share the problems in her own marriage and we found that we were both in a position of drifting away from our spouses. We actually found that we communicated better together than with our own spouses. We looked for reasons to be together—we shared similar interests and hobbies. I had no ulterior motives—no sinister plans but I enjoyed our time together as friends.

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Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul described the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in the believer’s life as follows:

We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18)

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Exiled hundreds of miles from Jerusalem, Nehemiah was burdened for his city’s condition. In 586 BC, Babylon had ransacked the City of David, taking God’s people into captivity. Even after Cyrus and the Persians overthrew the Babylonians and allowed some of the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem, efforts to rebuild were precarious (Ezra 4:23)—so much so that the city remained in ruins even decades later. If they were to going to rebuild Jerusalem, Israel needed a vision, and a visionary leader—someone to bring God’s truth to bear on their circumstances. And that leader was Nehemiah.

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“What is God’s will for my life?” Few questions have raised more speculation in Christian circles than this one. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit’s ministry involves giving direction. As we strive to devote our lives to God (Rom. 12:1), His Spirit enables and guides our spiritual progress.

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