And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” Luke 19:8-9 I once was the pastor of a church in which a dear sister in Christ told me a remarkable story regarding her husband’s conversion to Christ. By the time I arrived at the church, her husband had gone to be with the Lord. After relating his conversion account, she handed … Continue reading ““I Kissed My Mule””
Tag: conversion
Grace & Salvation (Part 2)
We observed from the Apostle Paul’s Letter to Titus in part one of this series, that God’s gracious salvation for mankind is both historical and objective, and personal and experiential. Titus 2:11 reads, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people . . .”1 God’s infinite incomprehensible grace appeared in the incarnation, atoning death, and resurrection of the Word made flesh—the Lord Jesus Christ. This reminds us of a word that never grows old: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son . . .” (John 3:16). This appearance of God’s grace-filled action … Continue reading “Grace & Salvation (Part 2)”
Grace & Salvation (Part 1)
It was 1983. At the time, John Abbott was a hard-nosed regional manager with Thornton Oil Co., living in New Albany, Indiana. John grew up in a church parsonage and eventually he enrolled in a Bible college, from which he was expelled for a minor infraction. John then enrolled in the Air Force, serving his country for over nine years. While in the military, he married and divorced. He later remarried, but in time serious strains occurred that marriage. Finally, his lovely wife LeAnn, a committed Christian, issued an ultimatum: “Either you get your act together and start going to … Continue reading “Grace & Salvation (Part 1)”