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Proclaiming Biblical Truth
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Monday Dec 12, 2022
Monday Dec 12, 2022
The promises of God are the lifelines of the soul, and the word “promise” is one of the synonyms used by the writer of Psalm 119 for the Word of God. Here we learn that God’s precious promises are to be:
- Discovered
- Loved
- Pondered
- Claimed
- Reciprocated
Many people today leave their spouses, their churches, their jobs, or their families, claiming their “needs aren’t met.” Our deepest needs can only be met by God through actively discovering, loving, pondering, claiming, and reciprocating His promises.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Monday Nov 28, 2022
If you are a Christian:
- You have divine wisdom, a saving knowledge of God and of divine truth.
- You have a righteousness that secures your justification.
- You are renewed after the image of God and will finally be presented without spot or blemish before the presence of His glory.
- And you will share eternal redemption, full deliverance from all the evils of sin and introduced into the glorious liberty of God.
These blessings can be obtained only through a personal relationship with Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:30 is one of the most comprehensive single passages in all of Scripture. In today’s message, The Believer’s Blessings in Christ, Dr. Gonzalez provides an exposition of the passage in which he explores the blessings mentioned, define their meaning, and draw practical applications to our lives.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Nov 14, 2022
Monday Nov 14, 2022
In today’s message, Dr. Gonzalez reminds us that we can’t overlook the importance of making good decisions, for decisions will play a role in determining the course of our lives. There are four pillars we can build on as a good framework for making decisions:
- God
- Facts
- Advice
- Impact
Good decisions do not come from intellect or luck, but by using a scriptural framework as a lens through which we can see clearly and decide effectively.
Let us listen as Dr. Gonzalez elaborates on these four pillars.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Alexander the Great conquered the world yet died at age 33 in a drunken stupor. Hannibal may have crossed the Alps with elephants, but he had three bushels of gold rings he had taken off knights he slaughtered; and he later committed suicide. Julius Caesar conquered 800 cities across Europe and the Middle East, but he was stabbed by his closest friends. Napoleon was the scourge of Europe, yet he died in banishment.
Solomon was the wisest, wealthiest man who ever lived; yet there is a tragedy to his life. and we can learn from it. There are three gigantic mistakes Solomon made in his life from which we can learn a great deal.
In today’s message, Learning from Solomon’s Mistakes, Dr Gonzalez will consider the three mistakes found in 1 Kings chapters 3 and 11.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Oct 17, 2022
Monday Oct 17, 2022
The author of Hebrews writes, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”
In today’s message, Jesus’s Present Work and Ministry, Dr. Gonzalez will consider several New Testament passages that reveal to us Christ’s present ministry. Let us listen as he points out that the Lord Jesus Christ is:
- Ruling from His Heavenly Throne
- Directing and Empowering His Church
- Interceding for Believers
- Preparing a Place for Us
- Receiving the Souls of Those Who Die in Him
- Being Praised by Angels
Dr. Gonzalez ends the message by asking the following: As Christ is doing all this for us in heaven, what are we doing for Him on earth?
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Each Christian has a personal ministry, and many people exercise that ministry in the context of a local church. You're a Bible study leader, do evangelism visitation, volunteer with children or youth, or you’re a choir member. Beware of Satan's greatest tool -- discouragement. He wants us to become weary in well doing. Our greatest weapon is faith in the specific promises God has given us.
Deuteronomy 1:21 we read, “See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
In today’s study, Casting Out Discouragement, Dr. Gonzalez reminds us that we not only walk by faith, but we also work by faith. We are not to give up in discouragement, God is using us in ways greater than we know.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Jun 27, 2022
Monday Jun 27, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Paul's obsession with the cross was strange for two reasons. First, he refused to live for any of the things that people normally live for. He did not boast about his popularity, intellect, influence, appearance, income, or performance. Nor did he boast about his circumcision. Second, what Paul was willing to boast about was even stranger: the cross of Christ. Christians are used to thinking about the cross as something noble, or even beautiful, but to ancient people it was the ultimate humiliation. The Romans considered the cross degrading, disgusting, detestable, and disgraceful. Boasting in the cross means more than just believing that Jesus died for your sins; it also means living a crucified life.
In verse 17 Paul writes, From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. This statement was partly a warning to the Judaizers. They had followed him to interfere with his gospel of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Paul had finally had enough, therefore he warned his opponents not to cause him any more trouble.
This statement is also a warning to every Christian, however, for it shows what kind of treatment we can expect for boasting in the cross. Sooner or later, every Christian who glories in the cross will face opposition.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Jun 13, 2022
Monday Jun 13, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
It must have been a dramatic moment. The Galatian church had gathered for the public reading of a letter from none other than Paul. As the letter ended, they heard these words: See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand (Gal. 6:11).
What had probably happened was this: According to his usual custom, Paul had dictated most of this epistle to his secretary. But he finished the document in his own handwriting, personally adding his autograph to give his letter to the Galatians the stamp of his apostolic authority. And he wrote his signature in large letters to underscore his conclusion.
The last section of Galatians, therefore, is more than a hastily written postscript, the afterthought of an apostle. Instead, these verses constitute a summary of the entire letter. In his summary, he contrasts circumcision and the cross, showing that justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone means boasting in the cross alone. To understand this is to understand Galatians. More than that, it is to understand the Gospel.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday May 30, 2022
Monday May 30, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Do you remember the first time you observed a seed sprouting in a glass jar? It is a fascinating law of creation, governed by God's providence. God has also created seed so that whatever type of seed planted, that is the plant that will grow and bear fruit. You do not pick grapes from a thorn bush; you pick grapes from a grape vine. Scripture is full of figures of speech, similes and metaphors based on the relationship of seed and plant, and Paul uses such a figure in Galatians 6:6-10, in this case the relationship of sowing to gathering. He uses this figure in order to teach us about stewardship within the body of Christ. He is dealing with how we live with one another. Gospel liberty does not allow us to be self-centered. Paul says Gospel liberty is not a license to sin against God and it is not a license to live self-centeredly amid the community. In the previous section (6:1-5), he gave a practical example of how to live together in humility.
Now in verses 6-10, he offers another practical example, the matter of Christian stewardship, particularly in the provision for those in full-time ministry. Once again Paul establishes the principle, that God uses His appointed means to accomplish His spiritual purposes.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday May 16, 2022
Monday May 16, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
We learn by example; we copy things that we see. This is also true for developing spiritually. We call this biblical principle, modelling.
Paul often gave examples to illustrate the principles that he had imparted. In today’s text, Paul exhorts us to live in holiness and in harmony, as we serve one another in love. He concludes the exhortation by relating walking in the Spirit to how we treat one another. In the first 5 verses of chapter 6, he gives an example of serving one another in love, particularly as we deal with sin within the body of Christ.
In verses 1-2, Paul begins with an exhortation on how sin should be handled in the body of Christ. Paul's exhortation is an example for implementing his concluding exhortation in chapter 5:26, Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Having shown us the practical example of walking in the Spirit and not challenging one another in jealousy and pride, in verses 3-5, Paul gives the antidote to selfish ambition. Paul warns of the danger of self-deceit: If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday May 02, 2022
Monday May 02, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
The Holy Spirit does not produce fruit in the Christian life without our cooperation. There are two things every Christian must do to remain fruitful. First, mortification, the putting to death the sinful nature and vivification, the coming to life of the regenerate nature. We find the death of our own sinful nature in the death of Christ, through what J. I. Packer calls "cocrucifixion with Jesus Christ." There is a connection between Gal. 5:24 (And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires) and Gal. 2:20 (I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me). But there is one very important difference. In chapter 2, we are crucified; in chapter 5, we do the crucifying. At the same time that we are putting our flesh to death, we are being revived by the Holy Spirit. These two aspects of sanctification—mortification and vivification—go together. As the reformer John Calvin put it, "The death of the flesh is the life of the Spirit."
Second, walking with the Spirit: If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
In this verse, Paul follows an indicative with an imperative; he tells us to become what we are. At regeneration, the Holy Spirit enters the heart of every Christian. Yet we must keep on living in the Spirit, which is precisely what the Galatians were failing to do.
The role of the Spirit is to keep us in line, give us our orders, all we must do is keep our place in the formation, moving in step with his commands. Keeping in step takes discipline, and so does spiritual growth. True spiritual growth comes from walking with the Spirit every day.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Apr 18, 2022
Monday Apr 18, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
What is spirituality? Who is spiritual? Is it accomplished by legalistic conformity to the Mosaic law? What part does the Holy Spirit have? The self?
In Galatians 5:16-18, Paul explains the nature of spirituality. Verse 16 its command, Walk by the Spirit. In the first part of the verse, Paul defines the command; in the second part, he explains the result, …and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
A Christian is a creature of two environments. Unlike the fish whose one nature is adaptable to only one habitat, the believer can function within two realms.
In verse 17, Paul explains that as Christians, we have two natures and two desires; in verse 18, he provides the solution to the conflict.
In verses 19-23, Paul discusses the contrast between works and fruit. Earlier there was a clash between the flesh and the Spirit. Now a contrast is established between the works of the flesh (5:19) and the fruit of the Spirit (5:22).
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Feb 28, 2022
Monday Feb 28, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Just as justification is not possible through the efforts of self, so sanctification cannot be achieved through one's own energy either. Both come from the provision and power of God.
The basic meaning of "sanctify" is "to set apart."
One of the four stages within the biblical concept of sanctification is Progressive Sanctification. It’s that work of the triune God whereby He sets apart the Christian unto Himself from the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. This happens during the entire lifetime of the believer on earth and is achieved by his yieldedness to the Spirit and his obedience to the Scriptures.
Paul wants believers to realize that obedience to the law was not necessary for progressive sanctification. The sinner is not only justified by faith, but he is also sanctified by faith. Paul writes in Rom. 1:17 (NLT), This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Feb 14, 2022
Monday Feb 14, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
The Judaizers charged that Paul’s teaching would lead the Galatians into lawlessness. Paul countered that the false teachers wanted to replace one expression of legalistic bondage for another. Who was right? In this section Paul argued that a proper apprehension of the doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone would lead to a life of spiritual freedom and holy love.
In 5:1 Paul wrote, Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. In 5:13 he wrote, For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. Warren Wiersbe says that liberty minus love will issue in license, whereas liberty plus love will result in service.
What is the purpose of this liberty? Using liberty for selfish pursuits is not love. The real goal of spiritual liberty is to serve one another. A sinner has been set free from the bondage of self, sin, and Satan so that he might become a slave to others.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Jan 31, 2022
Monday Jan 31, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
The Judaizers charged that Paul’s teaching would lead the Galatians into lawlessness. Paul countered that the false teachers wanted to replace one expression of legalistic bondage for another. Who was right? In this section Paul argued that a proper apprehension of the doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone would lead to a life of spiritual freedom and holy love.
Paul writes, Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1). Set free by Christ, the Galatians soon were acquiescing to the demands of the legalists. Paul wanted them to take a stand, to act like free men, not like slaves.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Jan 17, 2022
Monday Jan 17, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Paul effectively used a double approach to warn the Galatians about the dangers of Judaizing legalism. The first was personal and subjective (4:12-20), and the second was objective and historical (4:21-31).
The characters and events of the OT have often been used as illustrations of NT principles. For instance, the Passover lamb was a type of Christ in His sacrificial death (1 Cor. 5:7). The essence of faith can be seen in Abel, Enoch, Noah, and others (Heb. 11). A basic law of hermeneutics can be derived from 1 Cor. 10:11: Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. In verses 21-31 of Galatians chapter 4, Paul planned to use an event out of the life of Abraham to illustrate the principle that a man could not inherit the blessings of the patriarchal covenant through obedience to the law.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Jan 03, 2022
Monday Jan 03, 2022
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
In this section Paul effectively used a double approach to warn the Galatians about the dangers of Judaizing legalism. The first was personal and subjective (4:12-20), and the second was objective and historical (4:21-31).
In verses 12 through 20, the direct address brothers, served to catch their attention. They were genuine brothers and sisters within the family of God, but the Judaizing teachers, had caused them to have a strained relationship. Paul wanted them to be reconciled to him.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Dec 20, 2021
Monday Dec 20, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Although regeneration changed the spiritual position of a slave, it did not eliminate his social status. He was still a slave. Many NT epistles provided valuable counsel for the converted servants and slave owners. For example, Paul encouraged Philemon to receive the recently saved Onesimus no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother... (Philemon v. 16).
The cultural background of the first century provided an excellent analogy between the principles of spiritual sonship and those of spiritual bondage.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Monday Dec 06, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
In cultures that practiced slavery, there were obvious differences between the one who served and the master, between the son of a slave and the son of a slave owner. Although the servant may have possessed greater physical strength and innate intelligence than that of the owner's son, the servant was still regarded as an inferior person. The servant was under orders to obey, and the son was free to enjoy the provision of the father.
In his argument for the superiority of Christ, the author of Hebrews pointed out that Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope (Heb. 3:5-6). A slave is never free to do anything voluntarily; rather he is always obligated to obey laws.
Although regeneration changed the spiritual position of a slave, it did not eliminate his social status. He was still a slave. Many NT epistles provided valuable counsel for the converted servants and slave owners. Paul encouraged Philemon to receive the recently saved Onesimus no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother... (Philem. v. 16).
This cultural background of the first century provided an excellent analogy between the principles of spiritual sonship and those of spiritual bondage.
___________________________________________________________________
Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Nov 22, 2021
Monday Nov 22, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
This major section begins with the rhetorical question: Why then was the law given? (3:19). In verse 19-25, Paul explained the purpose of God giving the law to Moses and to Israel. In the remaining verses of chapter 3, Paul explains the believer’s position under faith. He tells us that when a person was under the works of the law, he soon found himself to be under the curse and under sin. Now Paul wanted to show the favorable position of the sinner who has been justified by faith in Christ.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Monday Nov 08, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Paul has clearly demonstrated that the law could not give the Holy Spirit (3:1-5), could not give the righteousness of God (3:6-9), could not give the blessing (3:14), and could not change the original covenant (3:15-18). The law, however, could give a curse (3:10-13). In the remaining verses of chapter 3, Paul continued to prove the superiority of the life of faith to that of legalism.
This major section begins with a rhetorical question: Why then was the law given? (3:19). Since the promise was given to Abraham and to Christ and since the law could not annul the promise, what was the purpose of God giving the law to Moses and to Israel? Why didn’t He continue dealing with them on the basis of the covenant of promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Why was there any change at Sinai? Paul anticipated such questions, thus they had to be addressed.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Oct 25, 2021
Monday Oct 25, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Since salvation is a matter of God's free grace, we do not earn it by working to obtain it. It is a gift, not something owed to us. We receive our inheritance from God the same way Abraham received it: by faith. We simply believe that God will make good on his promise to save us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And then, we act on our faith, living like the true heirs of God that we have become through his covenant in Christ.
This is the grace of God, that he does not deal with us on the basis of our performance, but on the basis of His promise. No matter what we have done, our sins are covered by the covenant righteousness of Christ. And now that we are in Christ, our standing before God does not fluctuate with the inconsistency of our daily obedience (or disobedience). On the basis of the promise that he made before the law, God loves us with an unconditional love.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Oct 11, 2021
Monday Oct 11, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Throughout this chapter Paul has been proving that justification and the Holy Spirit come by faith and not by works. First, he argued from experience—the experience the Galatians had when they received the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:1-5). Next, he argued from Scripture—the biblical record about Abraham, the man of faith (Gal. 3:6-14). But when it comes to making a theological point, it always helps to have a good illustration, so next Paul takes a human example (Gal. 3:15a). According to standard legal practice, with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified (Gal. 3:15b). The covenant is permanent.
By covenant, Paul refers instead to a covenant for an inheritance, what today might be called a "last will and testament." A will is not a contract. It does not set terms that various parties are obligated to fulfill. Instead, it simply declares what one party intends to do. A last will and testament is a legal arrangement in which one party bestows his or her estate on someone else. It is a grant rather than a bargain.
The kind of human covenant Paul has in mind is also irrevocable. Once it is signed, sealed, and delivered, it cannot be changed. There is no way to set it aside or add to it. It cannot be abrogated or annulled. It cannot be amended or adjusted. It is legally binding exactly as it stands.
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
If the law cannot bless us, then how can we receive God's blessing? This is the question Paul has been wrestling with throughout this letter. How do I stand in right relationship with God? What must I do to gain his favor? In a word, how can I be justified?
There are two possibilities: Either I am justified by works of the law or I am justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul's answer is that justification comes only by faith and not by works. He has stated this before, but here he repeats it: Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for 'The righteous shall live by faith.' But the law is not of faith, rather 'The one who does them shall live by them' (Gal. 3:11-12). Justification cannot come by works of the law; it must come by faith.
Luther rightly understood that only Christ can justify a sinner, and only through his cross. Paul explained it to the Galatians like this: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree' (Gal. 3:13).
The love of Christ is wondrous. He was crucified to remove the curse. Since we are no longer subject to the death penalty of the law, we can receive the promise of the gospel, that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Gal. 3:14).
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES
Imagine the scene: An entire nation gathers on the sides of two mountains to worship. Half the people stand on one side, half on the other. They worship responsively, alternating their praise. First one group cries out to God, and then the other, with every man, woman, and child shouting in unison.
This was the scene when the Jewish people crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land. According to the command of Moses, six tribes stood on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Ebal to form an antiphonal choir. Rather than singing in harmony, they recited a litany of blessings and curses. The tribes on Mount Gerizim blessed the people of God, while the tribes on Mount Ebal cursed them.
What curses they were! Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image (Deut. 27:15). Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother (Deut. 27:16). Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow (Deut. 27:19). Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them (Deut. 27:26). The Levites recited a dozen curses in all, and after each one, all the people said, "Amen!"
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Today’s podcast is brought to you by Time in the Word.
As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace.
Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word.
For additional resources, or if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.