The Truth in Print Vol.
31, Issue 3, Apr. 2025
A Publication of the
Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street,
Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
God’s Love & Grace Teach Belief & Obedience
God’s Love Understood
in the Context of Jo 3:16
The context is not teaching “belief only”
that Jesus is the Son of God who came into the world to save the lost. In the
context of Jo 3:16-21 God’s great love in sending Christ, and Christ’s love in
coming to die for man’s sins, requires man’s love of the light that practices
the truth with deeds (works of righteousness) showing themselves approved of by
God to be saved. Eternal death is being taught— “perish” in Jo 3:16 belongs
with those condemned who loved darkness rather than the light in Jo 3:19, and
those who practice evil hating the light of Christ’s word and not coming to the
light because it exposes their evil deeds in Jo 3:20. This teaches belief
in Christ’s Word the New Testament!
1.
Those who believed were to abide in His word to be true disciples and would
know the truth (Jo 8:31-32).
2.
They believed His word would judge in the last day (Jo
12.48).
3.
They believed the commission He gave the apostles states the truth about who
will be saved (Mk 16:15-16).
4.
They believed His inspired word preached by Peter (having received the Spirit
as He promised, Jo 16:13, Acts 1:4, 2:33) stating they must repent and be
baptized for remission of their sins (Acts 2:36-42).
5.
They believed being baptized they were added to His church, the one body (Eph
4:4) He alone is the head of (Matt 16:18; Eph 5:23; Jo 14:6).
6.
They believed being in His church they had been translated out of the power of
darkness and into the Kingdom where forgiveness of sins is found (Col 1:13-14).
God’s Grace
The Father giving His Son is understood in
grace (Jo 3:16). Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Lk
19:10). The
New Testament is “the word of His grace” (Act 20:32). Grace teaches obedience
to His word (Titus 2:11-14). Grace is not live in ungodliness, and you’ll still
be saved because Jesus died for man’s sins! Jesus
is the author of eternal salvations unto all who obey His Word (Heb 5:9; Mat 7:21-23; Lk 6:26;
Jo 8:31-32; Jo 17:17).
The whole of the New Testament scriptures
(epistles and letters) are the grace of God we are to stand firm in (I Pet
5:12; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Jude 3).The New Testament distinguishes between Jesus as
the propitiation for “all” (I Jo 2:2-3; I Jo 4:10), and Christ being the author
of eternal salvation for all those who obey him (Heb 5:9). Salvation through Christ
by grace is found in Christ’s church that was purchased with his blood—He is the
savior of the body, His church (Matt 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph 5:23,1:22-23). There is just one church (Eph 4:4), with one savior as
the head (Eph 4:5). The word of grace demand’s belief in the deity of Christ
upon hearing the Gospel preached (Mk 16:15-16). The word of God’s grace
demand’s obeying the commands to repent and be baptized for the remission of
sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16). The word of God’s grace states one is to confess
Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9-10). The word of God’s grace
makes it clear all are baptized into Christ (Gal 3:26-27) and into the one body
His church (I Cor 12:13).
The Valley Church of
Christ
2375 W. 8th Street,
Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services –
Classes ~10:00; Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening –
7:00 pm
To learn more call,
visit or visit our website at:
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com