After making the case that where sin increased, grace abounded even more, Paul now clarifies that abundant grace doesn’t give the believer license to sin. We don’t sin so that grace may abound. The believer has died to sin through Christ and now lives with Christ in freedom from sin, how then can he live […]
God condemns Israel for the fifth time. He again brings up their offerings and sacrifices but instead of rebuking them for the quality of what they bring He disputes the quantity. Under Mosaic Law the Israelites are to bring a tithe (10%) of all they produce and receive to the temple. This supports the work […]
This book was written in the 1530s by a German monk named John of Landsberg. He wrote in Latin but it was later translated into English in the late 1500s and then into its current form in 1990. It is written as if Jesus authored a letter to His followers (the full original title was […]
This text outlines God’s fourth condemnation of the people. God tells the Israelites they dishonor Him with how they speak about Him and with their perverted view of evil and justice. The people not only have a lackluster view of worship and faithfulness, they have a lackluster perspective on judgment. Since evil does not appear […]
The tone of the book changes somewhat beginning in verse 10 of Chapter 2. Instead of God speaking in the first person as He did in 1:6 through 2:9, Malachi now speaks on God’s behalf. And instead of addressing only the priests he seems to speak to all the people. Malachi condemns the people for […]
I recently re-read this book after having read it when it first came out about ten years ago. I decided to re-read it because lately my prayer life hasn’t been what it should be. Reading it was both encouraging and very sobering; encouraging because of what God can accomplish through prayer and sobering because it […]
God continues his condemnation of the priests of Israel. In 1:6-14 He admonished them for allowing substandard sacrifices and having a disdainful attitude toward worship. He said they dishonored His great name by their approach and the lackluster worship they tolerated. He told them the best thing they could do is to close the temple […]
