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Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 5)

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 and 8 Part 5: The Holy Spirit is our guide and strength, but is the comforter who stands by us, not the one who takes over from us We must therefore now turn to our relationship with the Holy Spirit. There have certainly been a few times inContinue reading “Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 5)”

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 4)

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 and 8 Part 4: We are always debtors to grace – because Christ affirms our human nature and becomes the channel of grace whereby we find freedom However, Paul does see the correct solution to this dilemma -though it remains a painful situation. The key thing is notContinue reading “Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 4)”

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 3)

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 and 8 Part 3: We do not earn our salvation, it is given as a gift – but what happens next? Fundamentally, sin is a challenge to the lordship of Christ. In the first part of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he wrestles with a crucial problem: “HowContinue reading “Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 3)”

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 2)

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 and 8 Part 2: Who is in charge of me – I don’t think it’s me? Paul’s answer was insightful, but I’m not sure that I will support it. He decided that, as he did what he truly didn’t want to do, then, in an important way, itContinue reading “Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 2)”

Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 1)

This theological reflection – in 7 parts – explores key ideas that Paul raises in his letter to the Romans in chapters 7 and 8, and, in particular to a key passage in chapter 7, verses 15 – 20, which are worth quoting, so that we have them present in mind. I will add versesContinue reading “Sin, grace and freedom : Romans 7 – 8. (Part 1)”

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 16)

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come Part 16: In God we find fulfilment now and hope for the future “The kingdom has come” is Christians’ declaration of hope that redemption is possible. That a person can live a new life – not simply a life that rediscovers qualities of love and joy andContinue reading “The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 16)”

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 15)

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come Part 15: It is the love of God that transforms us We have not fully expressed the transformative effect of God’s love. It is only as we open ourselves to the love of God that we see a new way to live – for ourselves, and inContinue reading “The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 15)”

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 14)

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come Part 14: It is God as a person with whom we are in relationship that we are in love with This is a great challenge -especially to Christians like me who revel so much in their experience of God’s presence. Our faith must not simply be aContinue reading “The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 14)”

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 13)

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come Part 13: It is the love of God that transforms our humanity So, what we end up with is not Christians making a deceitful retreat from facing the reality in the world of evil and suffering, into a “safe” internal psychological space where all that really mattersContinue reading “The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 13)”

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 12)

The Lord is here; his kingdom has come Part 12: God’s kingdom redeems humanity; it does not terminate our humanity However, I try to base my approach on sober realism. I cannot be blind to the suffering in the world, so I cannot be glibly optimistic that “all is well”. Yet I have not forgottenContinue reading “The Lord is here; his kingdom has come. (Part 12)”