Grace turns people toward God. Grace loosens our grip on what we possess. Grace teaches us to notice the needs of others. Grace moves us from good intentions toward completed faithfulness. Grace builds unity across differences. And grace teaches the church to handle what has been entrusted to us with integrity.   Read More

God doesn't reveal sin so that we remain crushed beneath it. The Holy Spirit brings conviction because grace is already calling us toward something better. God exposes what is destroying us so it can be surrendered, forgiven, healed, and transformed.   Read More

God’s grace does more than forgive what has been. The Holy Spirit works within us so that even suffering, disappointment, criticism, and opposition become places where Christlike character can take root. Paul’s circumstances were often beyond his control. His faithful response within those circumstances revealed whose life was shaping his own.   Read More

The holiness of Jesus moves toward broken people with truth and grace, calling them into restored relationship with God and with one another. That is the life Christ is forming in us. The old world says protect yourself, defend your side, remember every offense, and keep people in the categories where you placed them. New creation says something different.   Read More

We follow a crucified and risen Lord. So our lives will sometimes bear the marks of the cross: weakness, sacrifice, suffering, surrender. Yet the cross is never separated from resurrection. Even while death appears to be doing its work, the life of Jesus is at work too. That changes how we understand our weakness.   Read More

Paul points to the Corinthians themselves. And considering everything we’ve read about this church, that’s a bold move. They’ve struggled with division, pride, sexual immorality, worship, spiritual gifts, the Lord’s Supper, and their relationship with Paul himself. Yet Paul can still look at this complicated community and say, in effect, Look at what God has done here.   Read More