Are we saved through our own efforts? In my life, there are many situations where I try to achieve spiritual goals without God's help. There are things I want to overcome by resolving to accomplish them solely with my own strength and abilities, without consciously relying on Jesus or his Spirit who dwells within me. In doing so, I act as if I can achieve perfection through my own efforts. But I must constantly remind myself that my salvation is a gift of grace and not the result of my good works. These may be well-intentioned, but they do not save me. Paul reminds the early church…

The Aramaic word "Maranatha" literally translates to "Our Lord is coming!" or "Our Lord come." The church where my father was pastor had a conference center called "Maranatha Park." There, during the Easter season, attendees greeted each other not with a simple "Hello," but with the word "Maranatha." The hymns sung were about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Paul used the word Maranatha to stir the expectations of the believers from Corinth: "This is my, Paul's, handwritten greeting. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed! Maranatha!"1. Corinthians 16,21-22 Schlachter Bible). To the Thessalonians…

When our long-awaited son finally saw the light of day, a cry of joy escaped me: "He's coming! He's coming!" In retrospect, I find this expression an unusual way to describe such a wonderful event. For nine months, his mother carried the growing life within her. He was truly born only the moment he separated from her body and entered this world. My wife Karen and I longed to start a family and have children. This desire reflects, in a human way, God's sublime plan. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have a dream that is expressed in the words: "Let us make mankind" (1 John 13:14).

God was never alone. He has existed since eternity as a perfect community: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1,1). The early church referred to this divine unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as "perichoresis." It is a mutual indwelling in perfect unity and devotion. True love always requires a counterpart, as Paul impressively describes: "For in him (Jesus) he chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love" (Ephesians 1,4). God's…

When you look in the mirror, what image appears to you? In the well-known fairy tale, Snow White's wicked stepmother considered herself the fairest of all—an image she could only attain through an enchanted mirror. My mirror doesn't speak; it shows me a razor-sharp, albeit reversed, image of myself. This reflection doesn't reveal a flawless person, but rather an elderly, bald, plump, and sleepy morning grouch. The mirror also reveals a selfish, greedy, and vain person who, despite a lifelong…

The Holy Scriptures use numerous terms to describe God's grace toward us humans. These include salvation, atonement, reconciliation, adoption, sanctification, redemption, imputation, and justification. Each of these expressions emphasizes a particular facet of what God has accomplished for us in Christ. Below, we would like to examine some of these terms and reflect together on their meaning. Justification Let's begin with the term justification. It rarely occurs in our everyday language. When we justify ourselves, we use various…