November 6, 2025
Proclamation and Persuasion: The Invitation
When the gospel is proclaimed, and the Holy Spirit brings conviction, and people are challenged to respond, they respond.
Articles for tag: Confession of Faith
February 21, 2022
Feb. 27 | Justified and Saved
In Romans 9–11, Paul marked out how God’s salvific plan related to both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews had some definite advantages over the Gentiles, but sometimes they compromised those advantages. . . .
November 1, 2021
Nov. 7 | Application
The book of Hebrews urges us to stick with our faith. Hebrews 3:14 says, “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”
April 1, 2021
The Repentant Thief’s Story:
A Beautiful Reminder of God’s Amazing Grace
The repentant thief on the cross who put his faith in Jesus is one of my favorite people in the Easter narrative. Possibly more than any other Bible character, this man shows that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and it is truly never too late to trust in Jesus. The repentant thief shows us today can be the day of salvation! While this crucified criminal is mentioned in all four Gospels (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27, 32; Luke 23:32-33, 39-43; John 19:18, 31-33), it may seem we know little about him. But Matthew and Mark used the
July 28, 2016
Living the Parable
By Tom Ellsworth Jesus” parable of the vineyard laborers who all received the same wage (despite the fact that some started at the 11th hour) has created more questions than answers for me. It just didn”t seem . . . fair. When I talked with Kenny Ooley regarding his relationship with the Lord, he shared his struggle. He didn”t struggle with his faith; he struggled with his past. How could a perfect God love and forgive him for a lifetime of lousy choices? Could God be that generous? Could forgiveness extend that far? After all, he had wasted a lifetime
April 13, 2012
What”s Missing?
By Ron Downs Something seems to be missing in many churches today when it comes to the issue of salvation. There is strong emphasis on believing in Jesus. There also seem to be strong emphases on confessing Jesus and baptism. But it seems there is little or almost no emphasis on repentance. Repentance has been dropped from the church”s vocabulary. John the Baptist came preaching repentance. Jesus preached repentance. Both John and Jesus made repentance the heart of their message. The message on Pentecost was not to accept Jesus and be baptized, nor was it to ask Jesus into your
January 22, 2006
The Public Act of Accepting Christ
How do churches help people respond to the gospel? This article shares real-world approaches—from invitations and counseling rooms to baptism practices—highlighting celebration, clarity, and the next steps of discipleship.
