Author Archives: Jefferson Vann
the time of testing
Romans 7. The Christian who desires to please God and walk according to the resurrected life will immediately recognize a struggle. Sin continues to live within him, and wage war against his good intentions. He will often have the desire … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, conflict, deliverance, faithfulness, perseverance, sanctification
Tagged Romans 7
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resurrected and free
Romans 6. Should Christians continue to live the sinful lives they were living before their conversion? Absolutely not. Paul moves from the theme of justification by faith in chapter 5 to sanctification in chapter 6. He explains something he said … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, deliverance, faithfulness, forgiveness, holiness, obedience, redemption
Tagged Romans 6
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a monkey wrench
Romans 5:12-21. Denying the mortality of the human soul throws a monkey wrench into the machinery of Paul’s argument in Romans 5. Paul says that death has resulted from Adam’s transgression, and that the death penalty has passed on to … Continue reading
Posted in conditional immortality, eternal life, resurrection, the cross
Tagged Romans 5
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the gospel in prepositions
Romans 5:1-11. Christ died FOR us when we were ungodly sinners (6-8). We were justified BY his blood — that is — his death on the cross, and will be saved completely BY his resurrected life (1,2,9,10). Our current standing … Continue reading
Posted in gospel, Jesus Christ, peace, redemption, relationship with God
Tagged Romans 5
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the unthinkable
Romans 4. Abraham put his faith in the God who promised him the unthinkable. He would become the father of many nations because he chose to believe what God promised. Abraham’s faith would have been a ridiculous thing if there … Continue reading
the means of salvation
Romans 3:21-31. Right standing with God is not bought by means of being part of any ethnic group — not even those who were given the Mosaic law. It is a gift that God has given to those who have … Continue reading
Posted in deliverance, faith, gospel, Jesus Christ, relationship with God
Tagged Romans 3
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until there was no remedy
2 Chronicles 36. The sad story of Judah’s decline and fall is the story of a people that God wanted to bless, but they so persistently ignored him and rebelled against him that even he was forced to abandon them … Continue reading
Posted in faithfulness, obedience, relationship with God, wisdom
Tagged 2 Chronicles 36
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LORD of the lower caste
Exodus 8:20-9:12. The Hebrews were regarded as a lower race by the Egyptians. They had been granted residence in the land because of Joseph, but were segregated to the land of Goshen. Their peculiar practice of having no visible gods … Continue reading
getting Egypt’s attention
Exodus 7:14-8:19. The plagues in Egypt were directed toward Pharaoh, who stubbornly refused to release the people of Israel from their bondage. There was a matter of Egyptian religious pride here too. The Hebrews were merely slaves, why should Pharaoh … Continue reading
Posted in discernment, humility, judgment, prayer, relationship with God, wisdom
Tagged Exodus 7, Exodus 8
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to the small sinner
Romans 2:1-16. In the previous chapter, Paul laid it on thick. He showed all the wickedness that great sinners can get into by turning aside from God. In this chapter, he shows that even those who have not sinned in … Continue reading
