Sola Fide

by Mike Ratliff
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)
With a gloriously monotonous regularity Paul pits faith off over against all law-keeping as its diametrical opposite as [...]

Sola Gratia

by Mike Ratliff
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)
“Sir, I understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist; and [...]

Count it All Joy

 by Mike Ratliff
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives [...]

Sola Scriptura

by Mike Ratliff
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)
We affirm that the text of Scripture is to be interpreted by grammatico-historical exegesis, [...]

Remembering and Forgetting

by Mike Ratliff
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same [...]

Yikes!

How would you like to be a rufneck on this oil rig?

The Deception of Universalism - Part 2

by Mike Ratliff
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)
As has been [...]

The Deception of Universalism - Part 1

 
by Mike Ratliff
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the [...]

The Echo and Insufficiency of Hell, Part 2

Hell is not a subject that we like to discuss or think about. We should not want anyone to end up there. This is motivation for us to share the Gospel with everyone. We must give them the Good News that an eternity in Hell is not for those who love God, believe God, and [...]

The Echo and Insufficiency of Hell, Part 1

In light of our encounter with a cult that teaches that there is no literal Hell as it is taught in scripture, I have decided to spend a few days on the doctrine of Hell. I, like Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort would dearly love that there would be no such place as Hell, but [...]

How to Detect a False Prophet

by Mike Ratliff
If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and [...]

Fundamental Tests of Genuine Christianity Part 6

Part 3 of the Moral Test
by Mike Ratliff
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God [...]

Believers Must Receive the Love of the Father

 
by Mike Ratliff
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  (1 John 4:8 ESV)
As most of you reading this know, I took about 8 days off from both work, writing, and blogging. My wife and I traveled to the Oklahoma City area to visit our daughter and son-in-law. We celebrated [...]

Conversion vs Regeneration

The following was first posted on January 13 2006.
by Mike Ratliff
At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the [...]

The Compromised Church Part 6 - By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them

by Mike Ratliff
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will [...]

The Compromised Church Part 5 - Self-Deceived Godliness

by Mike Ratliff
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, [...]

The Compromised Church Part 4 - Friend of the World

by Mike Ratliff
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech [...]

The Compromised Church Part 3 - Ungodly Discernment

by Mike Ratliff
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. [...]

The Compromised Church Part 2 - Spiritual Blindness

by Mike Ratliff
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 7:22-23)
Over the last [...]

The Compromised Church Part 1 - Humanism

by Mike Ratliff
But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. (Job 23:13)
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)
For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord [...]

The Compromised Church - Introduction

I must be out of town from April 9th through April 16th. I confess that I am a bit tired and will be spending some time with family in Oklahoma. When I return, and God permitting, we will continue our exposition of 1 John. In the meantime, please read my series - The Compromised Church. [...]