What Calvinists call “the Finished Work of Christ”

by Terry Wane Benton The Calvinists are often heard making of “the finished work of Christ” something that was never intended. They say there is nothing we can do to be saved. They say all doing is “finished” by what Christ did on the cross. But that is a misuse of the verses. Sure, Christ…

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Learning from Noah

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Learning-from-Noah.mp3 by Raymond Warfel

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Salvation by Grace

by Matthew W. Bassford Recently, I have become an even louder proponent of grace, indeed of the naked necessity of grace, than I ever was before. I can tell from the comments I’ve been getting on social media that this has made some good brethren nervous. They reply with variations of, “Yes, but you have…

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Every Good Work

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Every-Good-Work.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 111   I.         From the beginning, God has given men work to do             A.        Adam was to care for the garden – Genesis 2:15; 3:17-18             B.        As Christians, we are commanded to work – I Thessalonians 4:11             C.        We are being disobedient if we do not work – II Thessalonians 3:6-13 II.        This…

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Are You a Good Samaritan?

by Jefferson David Tant If you know anything about the Bible at all, you probably know the story of The Good Samaritan as recorded in Luke 10:30-37. But before we get to that, please read the story about a young boy in Leeds, England. Chivalry Is Not Dead In Leeds, on a very wet wintry…

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Fruitful Christians

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Fruitful-Christians.mp3 by Jeffery W. Hamilton Text John 15:1-8   I.         We know that Jesus’ words in John 15 concerning the vine and branches are dealing with individual Christians and not denominations.             A.        Jesus is the vine, each one of us are branches off that vine, and God is the vinedresser.             B.        But don’t get so caught up in…

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Are good works the result of salvation?

Question: Are good works the result of salvation? I was in a discussion earlier with someone of the Baptist faith who used Ephesians 2:10 to say that good works are the result of salvation and not required for salvation since Paul is referring to us being saved in Ephesians 2:8-9, then immediately talks about how…

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But It’s a Good Work

by Jefferson David Tant From time to time, when discussing the mission and work of the church, questions are raised about certain practices that some will claim are not authorized in Scripture. The response often given is “But it’s a good work.” This has been a standard thought when discussions arise about orphan homes, “Christian”…

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Justification by Works in James

by Matthew W. Bassford Earlier, I wrote about Paul’s discussion of justification by works in the first four chapters of Romans. In it, he says that justification by works requires perfect obedience to God, which no one but Jesus has achieved. Thus, Christians must seek salvation by faith apart from works. Similarly, baptism for the…

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Justification by Works and Baptism

by Matthew W. Bassford At the end of Romans 3 and the beginning of Romans 4, we encounter the most famous of Paul’s teachings: justification by faith in Jesus. Throughout the context, he contrasts it with justification by works. Abraham was not justified by works, nor was David, nor can we be. From this magnificent…

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