There can be no spiritual formation without engagement with the Spirit. To attempt to do otherwise makes for a hard life, a miserable experience where the flesh gets the upper hand and joy eludes us and defeat is our constant companion. The transformed life we are called to cannot come about by the mere application … Continue reading Spiritual formation – open to the Spirit
Tag: freedom
Spiritual formation
Reading and reflecting on growing in Christ or spiritual formation, it makes a big difference as to whether we focus on holiness or love to the exclusion of the other. If our focus is holiness, sin consciousness and separation from the world will play a big part. If our focus is love, acceptance and relational … Continue reading Spiritual formation
Fake news and demonising
Today it's commonplace - I'm sure there has always been a measure of it, but today it seems to be accepted practice, the manufacturing and communicating of fake news - the distortion and twisting of things to serve a particular agenda; and the demonising of those who hold opposing ideas - the discrediting and belittling … Continue reading Fake news and demonising
Building a Kingdom Culture 4 – Love, Grace & Freedom
Love, grace, and freedom are at the core of a Kingdom Culture. Everything else flows from them. They are values or qualities that define the very heart of who we are and our relation to one another. When we lose them we get all religious and our lives and relationships end up based around rules … Continue reading Building a Kingdom Culture 4 – Love, Grace & Freedom
No Need to Pay Twice
Following on from Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus this old hymn comes to mind, and what a hymn - I've lightly modernised it - it contains a powerful declaration of the glorious liberating truth of the cross. If you are doubting, lacking assurance, wondering whether you've done enough, or whether Jesus has … Continue reading No Need to Pay Twice
Predestined, Called, Justified and Glorified?
I was preaching on Sunday on the subject "Salvation belongs to our God - Understanding the Process of Salvation" and I was struck in my preparation by the fact that Paul says we have not only been justified but we have also been glorified (Romans 8:30). Now it's strange that the rest of this verse we … Continue reading Predestined, Called, Justified and Glorified?
Free in Christ – A translation of Romans 8
For many Romans 8 is something they aim at, but rarely get there. To often their experience is Romans 7, the wretched man, but that is to fall short of the gospel. Romans 8 is meant to be the normal Christian life. Some years ago after living as a Romans 7 Christian I studied Romans … Continue reading Free in Christ – A translation of Romans 8
