"Your experience is that of many thousands of sincere Christians, but it is not real Christian experience, because it is not the experience of Christ. He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” It was not because He was of a different nature from us, for inasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, “He also Himself likewise took part of the same” (Heb. 4:15; 2:14), and in all things was “made like unto His brethren” (vs. 17)." ~Robert J. Wieland
Now, we return to our question: does it make sense that we, sinful selfish people by nature can be changed, converted, purified, transformed, even "sanctified," by believing those "promises"? ~Robert J. Wieland
"You may suffer problems in your family (so did David, and so did Jesus), or at work, or even (could it be so?) in your church--the place where you expected peace and harmony." ~Robert J. Wieland
"The healing at the Sheep Pool in John 5 illustrates what Jesus accomplished by His sacrifice on His cross." ~Robert J. Wieland
“‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved’” Acts 16:31
Robert J. Wieland
If you have picked up the Old Covenant in school or in church (and you probably have), the idea of “following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth” frightens you. And Old Covenant ideas are subtle, a virus that burrows “bondage” deep in your soul (Gal. 4:24). Those ideas get lodged and as long as you harbor them you find it hard to understand or believe New Covenant ideas.
Robert J. Wieland
Some day yet to come those who choose to follow Jesus will be "of one accord" as were His disciples at Pentecost--oh! may that day come soon! (cf. Acts 2:1).
Robert Wieland
How can spiritual common sense give us this "assurance"? The answer is in 1 John 5:11: "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16), not merely offered to give Him. Some five or six times in Romans 5 Paul emphasizes that God has given us the "free gift" that has reversed the "condemnation" that came upon the human race "in Adam," and as John says, that gift is "in Christ." The Father gave Christ to the world, that He might already be "the Saviour of the world," "the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe" (John 4:42; 1 Tim. 4:10).