Category: Calvary’s cross

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #47

Monday, July 6, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

King David prophesied in Psalm 2:1-5: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.” (God’s judgment on unbelieving Israel and unbelieving Romans/Gentiles was to immediately follow Calvary’s cross. See the interpretation in Acts 4:24-30.)

Quoting Joel 2:30-32, the Apostle Peter in early Acts (right after Christ’s crucifixion) warned unbelieving Israel about coming wrath and judgment: “And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:19-21). He continued, “For Moses truly said unto the fathers [Deuteronomy 18:15,18,19], A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people” (Acts 3:22,23). Unbelieving, Christ-rejecting Israelites would be “destroyed!”

By Acts chapter 7, Israel’s one-year extension of mercy closes with Stephen’s sermon and ensuing stoning: “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (verses 55,56). “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1; cf. Acts 2:33-36).

Yet, Christ never came back, and there has never been such wrath… yet….

Liberated to Serve

Saturday, July 4, 2026 🇺🇸

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #43

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

For advanced practical truth, which is situated in the context of the invisible and spiritual battle of Ephesians 6:10-18, turn to Ephesians 5:14-18: “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;….”

Similar to the nation Israel spiritually asleep in the satanic darkness of Isaiah 60:1-3, the Ephesians languish in a spiritual drunken stupor and are dead practically (their Christian life not functioning). No soldiers can afford to sleep while in the midst of a war! Foolishness or senselessness has no place amongst soldiers! If we are to have any hope or prayer of standing and withstanding the wiles (schemes, tricks, stratagems, tactics) of the Devil, we must “walk circumspectly” (looking around, having careful or cautious conduct, and awareness of our surroundings). We should understand the will of the Lord, for our Superior Officer has given orders for us to follow. If we are “filled with [controlled by] the Spirit,” “the word of Christ dwell[s] in [us] richly in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16), and then not even Satan himself can cause us to fall. Problems arise when we lean upon our own intellect, depend on the weapons we fashion—and then we end up conquered, frustrated, and unhappy!

Christian living is not we “doing the best we can” and then letting Christ do the rest. No, that is guaranteed failure, so do not even bother with it. Christian living is 100% Christ living. There is never a single defeat as long as we remember and trust the absolute, total, complete victory He secured forever at Calvary for us. If only more believers would simply understand that, they would have much more peace and joy than they are relying on the flesh and the world to give them….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #39

Saturday, June 27, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

The Corinthians were childish Christians, their spiritual growth and development stunted because (like so many now) they did not follow the Pauline design for the edification of the believer in Romans 16:25,26. Wherefore, the Holy Spirit cautioned them in 1 Corinthians 10:1-14. To repeat Israel’s sins of lusting after evil things (verse 6), being idolatrous (verse 7), committing fornication (verse 8), tempting/challenging Christ (verse 9), and murmuring/complaining (verse 10), would surely result in becoming a “castaway,” a Christian whose service God rejects (1 Corinthians 9:27). The Corinthians were to be mindful of the evil world system around them, and walk by faith in the principles of grace as found in Romans to Philemon (Paul’s ministry, Christ’s heavenly ministry).

Whereas the Corinthians were the “lascivious” (loose, wild, crazy) group, the Galatians were the “ascetic” (strict, pious, self-righteous) crowd: both are the two extremes of human (sin) nature. Galatians 3:1-3 explains the predicament of the immature Christians of Galatia: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Paul had preached to the Galatians with great clarity all about Christ’s finished crosswork (grace). Nevertheless, after listening to false teachers (Mosaic-Law-based doctrine), these saints of Galatia imagined their “flesh” (human performance) could somehow enhance or supplement the Holy Spirit’s work. This is works-religion, as in, “I can live the Christian life by keeping commandments, I am able to ‘help’ the Holy Spirit, I can work to earn/merit God’s favor.” Like their Corinthian brethren, the Galatians were incorporating junk material into their inner man. It was not Christ’s life, but Adam’s life. Even though it was Scripture (the Law of Moses), it was not Scripture “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Instead of being a “castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27), we need to be approved unto God….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #30

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Theologians, philosophers, and other supposed “intellectuals” have discussed and debated for centuries the purpose of our existence—and they still have more questions than answers because no amount of man’s “wisdom” is sufficient to comprehend the mind of Almighty God. Howbeit, as Bible believers, it is no enigma to us. Let us therefore be appreciative of the spiritual light Colossians 1:16-20 furnishes us in this regard.

“For by him [Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

Remember, as we discover in Ephesians 1:8-10 (higher doctrine than Romans), God saving us from Hell is but a minute addendum in His overall plan for the ages. Colossians is a supplement to, or sister epistle of, Ephesians. Although creation—Heaven (Job 15:15; Job 25:5; Ephesians 6:12) and Earth (Matthew 4:8,9; Luke 4:5-7; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4)—is in rebellion because of Satan and Adam, this is only temporary. Father God’s original plan for creation, that His Son Jesus Christ’s life be displayed for all to see, is momentarily delayed. That eternal purpose will still be achieved in the ages to come, when Christ fills us (the Church the Body of Christ) with His life and then fills the heavenly places with us, and when He fills redeemed Israel with His life and then fills the earth with Israel.

This is how we find meaning in life….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #28

Monday, June 15, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

According to Romans chapter 6, Calvary’s cross is the foundation for victorious Christian/grace living. It is where Christ performed and finished His work to pay for our sins—so we could die with Him to sin’s power, be buried with Him, and be raised again with Him to “walk in newness of life.” “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (verses 11,12). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (verse 23).

Yet, two groups converted under Paul’s ministry believed they could live the Christian life. Defined in Romans chapter 7, Paul himself had been confused in this way—and how he was such a defeated, disappointed, depressed soul! He did not walk according to the grace truths of chapter 6, and the only way out of the trap was to re-learn them as presented and amplified in chapter 8: “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify [put to death] the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:12-14).

Human nature, the sin nature we have inherited from Adam, has two extremes. One is lasciviousness, as in loose, crazy, wild conduct (humanism/philosophy)—and that would be the Corinthians who lived in the very depths of sin. The other is ascetism, which is strict works-religion or legalism (Law)—and that would be the Galatians who lived in the very depths of self-righteousness. Both groups were stuck in the misery and hopelessness of Romans chapter 7, trying and failing to copy Jesus Christ’s life when only He can live the Christian (His) life!

To repeat, victorious Christian living or grace living is Romans truth, found in Paul’s most basic epistle….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #27

Sunday, June 14, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Christendom is two billion well-intentioned people who assume they need to “follow Jesus” according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They never appreciate how those Four Gospel Records are Judaism and the Law of Moses (see Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14; Galatians 4:4). Yet, the Dispensation of the Grace of God (Ephesians 3:2), Romans to Philemon, proves we are not under the Law but under Grace.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Romans 6:14,15). “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to [separated from] the law by the body of Christ [His crosswork]; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Romans 7:4). Law-works and Grace are incompatible, as Romans 11:6 affirms: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-4). Our flesh cannot keep the Law, leading to defeat, disappointment, and misery. However, victorious Christian living is grace living, filled with or controlled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) who works in us via Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #19

Saturday, June 6, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Draw your attention to the fig-leaf aprons of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:7—their religious efforts or futile attempts to regain the spiritual light of God (righteousness) that once covered their now-naked bodies. After works-religion proved unsuccessful, they again evaded accountability by hiding from God (Genesis 3:8-10). Finally, after the LORD exposed and confronted them, Adam shifted the blame to Eve (thereby indirectly accusing God who gave him Eve—“God created me this way!”), then Eve shifted the guilt to the serpent (“the Devil made me do it!”) (Genesis 3:11-13).

Here is human psychology 101. Such a scenario has played out trillions of times since then. Firstly, do whatever you can to cover up your sin. Secondly, hide when that cover-up demonstrates itself useless. Finally, dodge the liability altogether by blaming God or Satan. Man goes to great lengths to justify himself, to declare himself righteous, as he in his pride has no use for God’s standard of righteousness that he has failed so miserably to meet. See, the Bible takes a negative view of man, for it tells the truth about him: that Book of God has embarrassed him! Hence, man in his feebleness aspires to ignore the Scriptures, challenge them, discredit them, change them, and so on, to clear himself. In willfully neglecting to admit his inability to save himself, man is further fallen into the snare or trap of the Devil.

The grace of God is the only thing that can deliver man from satanic captivity and spiritual nakedness, so God works to restore man to himself: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Such shedding of animals’ blood, innocent beings taking the place of guilty ones, is a type or hint or preview of the cross of Calvary 4,000 years in advance. However, on this side of the cross, where God has dealt with sin once for all, there is still cover-up and denial (works-religion), hiding, and blame-shifting.

May we submit to the righteousness of God by faith….

The Greatest War Hero

Monday, May 25, 2026

“For God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV).

In the United States, today is Memorial Day, when we remember those who sacrificed their time and lives to provide our physical freedom. Likewise, as Christians, we have spiritual freedom, which was more costly. Someone had to die to give us the eternal life we now enjoy….

Scripture describes a spiritual warfare between good and evil, God’s truth program versus Satan’s lie program: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes] of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11,12; see also verses 13-20).

Satan distracts mankind from God’s pure Word, the Bible, keeping unbelievers lost (dead in their sins), and preventing unbelievers and Christians from knowing God’s will. The devil draws them away (seduces them) from God’s Word by using religious tradition and human “wisdom” (1 Timothy 4:1-3; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Galatians 3:1-3).

God loves us, so at Calvary’s cross, Christ fought for us sinners, died in battle (today’s Scripture), shed His divine sinless blood, and eternally rescued us from Satan and sin: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14,15).

Hebrews 9:12 says Jesus Christ has “obtained eternal redemption for us.”

If we have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Now, God can use us for His glory for all eternity.

Beloved, let us rejoice in our victory over sin, death, and hell that Jesus Christ secured for us by going to Calvary’s rugged cross! Jesus Christ is now alive forevermore—He is our Hero, the Greatest Hero!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study “The Greatest Hero,” which can be read here or watched here.

Not Thy Righteousness, But Their Wickedness #12

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

“Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 9:5 KJV).

May we have the proper perspective of wickedness versus righteousness….

Commoners, pastors, and teachers can all learn something from today’s Scripture. Inflated egos—the same in the Israelites’ hearts—can easily dominate and ruin us. Graduates of “Christian” institutes of higher learning might conclude that they “deserve” to be in ministry because they are brilliant scholars, loyal denominationalists, and articulate speakers. Even the most spiritual believers are not immune to adopting the erroneous supposition that they are “God’s gift to man,” “Heaven’s favorite.”

Sure, we can lift our noses high and sniff, and stick out our little chests and bellow, but let us remember the people who demanded Jesus’ crucifixion were… extremely religious. See for yourself in Matthew 27:20-22; Mark 15:9-15; Luke 23:20-24; John 18:39,40; John 19:12-15; Acts 3:12-18; Acts 4:8-12; Acts 5:26-32; and Acts 7:51-53. Those chief priests and commoners were the products of 1,500 years of mindless works-religion instead of heart faith in JEHOVAH God who gave them that Mosaic Law system!!!! It was their self-righteousness that led them to believe they had no need for the Saviour. Saul of Tarsus was one such “goody-goody” (see Philippians 3:1-9 and 1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Believe it or not, Hell abounds with “good” people—and countless billions more souls have yet to arrive. The underlying supposition is how their limited, insubstantial works in the energy of their flesh somehow supplement or replace Jesus Christ’s sinless blood. Regardless of what they do, once they leave this life upon physical death, they will always be “in Adam.” That nature will remain with them throughout the endless ages to come, and their punishment is hence without end (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 and Revelation 14:9-11).

“For he [Father God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we [through faith in Him alone] might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is not our righteousness, but God’s righteousness in Christ!