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Most people understand that doing evil can keep us out of heaven. But few realize the Bible also teaches that doing good cannot get us in. None of us could ever gain enough merit to deserve heaven. We are sinful, and God's standard is utter perfection. Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). He added, "you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."Then who can be saved?The disciples asked Jesus this same question (Matthew 19:25). His answer? "With...

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12J.C. Ryle,No one can be saved from sin, its guilt, power, and consequences,—excepting by Jesus Christ…No one can have peace with God the Father,—obtain pardon in this world, and escape wrath to come in the next,—excepting through the atonement and mediation of Jesus Christ.In Christ alone God’s rich provision of salvation for sinners is treasured up: by Christ alone God’s abundant mercies come down from Heaven to earth. Christ’s blood alone, can cleanse us; Christ’s righteousness...

HELL by R.C. Sproul We have often heard statements such as “War is hell” or “I went through hell.” These expressions are, of course, not taken literally. Rather, they reflect our tendency to use the word hell as a descriptive term for the most ghastly human experience possible. Yet no human experience in this world is actually comparable to hell. If we try to imagine the worst of all possible suffering in the here and now we have not yet stretched our imaginations to reach the dreadful reality of hell.Hell is trivialized when it is used as a common curse...

"Yes, Father," said his young assistants, as wisps of sulfurous smoke rose from the earth nearby. They couldn't help musing about whether their master was about to descend into hell. The earth about them was gray and jagged, like sludge frozen into shards and knives, and it had cut the soles of their shoes badly. Rumbling came from below. But the master was like a boy sallying forth into an enchanted land. His weapons were his eyes and his mind, some measuring tools he had invented, and paper and pen to record his observations. Athanasius Kircher, the Jesuit polymath, climbed...

(CNN)Whether you believe that religious violence is fueled by faith or is a symptom of larger factors -- political instability, poverty, cultural chaos -- one thing seems clear: Last week was hellish for religion.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.(Romans 10:9-13)Israel, the nation created...

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy...

Using a Loudon County case as a backdrop, the Tennessee Supreme Court on Friday upheld for the first time a parent’s right to choose faith over medicine — even if a child dies as a result. “This is a case of first impression,” Justice Gary R. Wade wrote in the court’s decision upholding the constitutionality of Tennessee’s Spiritual Treatment Exemption Act.

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.(Romans 10:3-4) What did Israel stumble over? What exactly was this lack of knowledge that has left her lost and estranged from God? It was no small detail that Israel got wrong, they literally lacked the only Knowledge that would save them! Paul says that Israel was ignorant of God’s Righteousness. This means Israel was ignorant of what the Law of God...

John Chrysostom (c. 344–407) was a fourth-century church leader who is best-known for his eloquent expository preaching. In fact, it was because of his oratorical gifts that he came to be known as “Chrysostom” which means “Golden Mouth.” As the bishop of Constantinople, he was one of the most influential church leaders of his day.Because he preached verse-by-verse through most of the New Testament, it is relatively easy to discover Chrysostom’s perspective on key biblical texts. What follows, then, is a series of excerpts from Chrysostom’s sermons — centered around the theme of justification by faith alone.1. Regarding the Faith of Abraham (in Genesis...

Restoration of the soul cannot begin without a confrontation with the truth. It is through truth your condition is brought to light. And from this confrontation, a decision must then be made to continue in it, or to change it. When the right decision is made, restoration can then begin. And what does restoration begin with? Trust. What happens to the components of the soul from there will take on a new and dynamic nature, as we will explore on this edition of Making Sense with Rob Case. powered by podcast garden

Faith is not alone, Scripture is not alone, Grace is not alone. We ought not separate what God has joined. By: Msgr. Charles PopeThere are a lot of “solos” sung by our Protestant brethren: Sola Fide (saved by faith alone), Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone is the rule of faith), and sola gratia (grace alone). (See the Protestant logo to the right.) Generally, one ought to be suspicious and careful of claims that things work “alone.” It is our usual experience that many things work together in harmony, that things are interrelated. Very seldom is anyone or anything “alone.”The problem of...

Compare and Contrast: The Super Bowl and the Mass, Football and Faith By: Msgr. Charles Pope I write to you in the midst of a semi-“religious” event: the Super Bowl. People have donned their sacred attire and are shouting praises. I enjoy football, but see it a lot less than most since I’m a priest and tend to be busy on Sundays! Yet I remain quite fascinated at how passionate and dedicated many Americans are to their team and to the game.Would that more Catholics had the same dedication to the Mass and the Church that true football fans have...

The High Price of the Faith, and Gratitude That Someone Paid That Price By: Msgr. Charles Pope I wonder if many of us have considered the true cost of the faith that has been delivered to us. We so easily complain if the Church is not air-conditioned, or the P.A. system is poor, or the service too long.But have you or I ever really considered the difficulties endured by those who went before us and labored to hand down the faith to us? Every time you read the Creed, consider that martyrs died for the truths we so easily declare.This Sunday, at the...

An unexplainable miracle cross of water photograph has been revealed by the photographer Ruello and is sighting it as evidence of God. The freaky photograph seems to defy the laws of physics. Ruello also processed the Vatican Veronica Veil in 2011 revealing a hidden image of Christ

Walker's views disturb Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation."It is frightening that the highest executive in our state suffers from the delusion that God dictates his every move," she says. "Consider the personal and historic devastation inflicted by fanatics who think they are acting in the name of their deity."The dogmatic unwillingness of Wis. Gov. Scott Walker to negotiate or to compromise with Democrats or unions has surprised many people in the state. One explanation for his attitude may be found in his religious convictions. In a talk to the Christian Businessmen's Committee in Madison on...

Two years is not forever. Don’t let Obama, who, after all is really only a figment of his own imagination, make it so. In a world gone digital, life on earth’s much more a stage now than it was when William Shakespeare penned his immortal lines: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” The main difference today is that common man has become the captive audience who finds it all but impossible to...

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said at the Super Bowl media day on Tuesday that though he loves playing football, his "faith is everything". Wilson, 26, said that while he wanted to be recognised as a successful football player – a "winner" – he also wanted to leave a legacy as a Christian man who serves others. "In terms of my legacy off the field, I want to be a Christian man that helps lead and helps change lives and helps serve other people. It's not about me, you know," Wilson said. "It's not about me and it's about just...

============================================= . The Accounting of Simon Peter's Six Denials of Christ ============================================= Abstract: Harmonizing the Scripture passages concerning Peter's denial of Jesus at the time of His pre-crucifixion trial shows that Peter denied Christ six times, not three as some insist. These were predicted by Jesus to His disciples the night before He was executed. The denials occurred in groups of three, each group marked by a cockcrow. The denials were Peter's responses, twice to a doorkeeper maidservant, and once each to another maidservant, to a subordinate of the high priest conducting the trial, to a group of other menservants,...

In John 8:34 Jesus underlined the bondage in which we are held by nature. On the other hand, He spoke about the freedom into which He brings sinners by grace: “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).How could the Son set them free? Because of who He was. He was the Son who has been sent into the world by the Father. He knew the Father’s plan. He had the most intimate relationship with the Father. He had heard everything the Father had said, and He came with this message of good news: “The...