Have you ever wondered: Am I good enough for God? Have I done enough to please God? Are my prayers sincere enough? Is God happy with me? What about my sin? Is God angry with me? Five hundred years ago, these questions plagued Martin Luther and, in God’s providence, led to the Protestant Reformation. On… Continue reading Nailed It: Luther’s Stand That Reformed the Church
The Upside-Down Gospel of Love
The gospel of Christ is very counter-cultural and calls for counter-cultural living. The hallmark of Christian living is love, and love is exactly what is lacking in our world today. When the Apostle wrote to the Christians in Colossae, he did not thank God for their humility, giftedness, or evangelistic zeal, but thanked God for… Continue reading The Upside-Down Gospel of Love
A Christian’s Guide to Cult-Proof Faith
The second half of the Homily on the Christian’s good works warns of the bad works of false religion. Thomas Cranmer, the author of this fiery sermon, warns the congregations to beware of the bad work of elevating human tradition and man-made rules above God’s word. The sermon must have caused quite a stir as… Continue reading A Christian’s Guide to Cult-Proof Faith
Faith That Works: Living What We Believe
The fifth sermon of the First Book of Homilies on “Faith and Good Works” is quite iconic. The sermon starts by demonstrating that without faith it is impossible to please God or do anything good in his sight. “Faith gives life to the soul. Those who lack faith are dead to God just as those… Continue reading Faith That Works: Living What We Believe
The Walking Dead: When Faith Has No Pulse
The fourth sermon in the First Book of Homilies focusses on what is referred to as a “lively” faith. Faith that is a living, growing, life-changing trust in Jesus in contrast to a dead, shrivelled, intellectual, mere assent that makes no impact in one’s life. This sermon is the natural follow on to the previous… Continue reading The Walking Dead: When Faith Has No Pulse