Joel R. Beeke

Christ did not come to earth simply to be our moral teacher. If that were His only mission, He could have come as He did in former times, as the Angel of the Lord, without our flesh and blood to encumber Him. Instead, He had to become like us so that He could raise us up to be like Him.

In Christ__ first coming, He implemented a rescue plan conceived in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. He did not come to promote holiday cheer, boost end-of-year sales, or serve as the central figure in a Nativity scene. He came to save sinners. To save sinners, Christ had to put away what makes people sinners__amely, sin.

Now I know not anything that will contribute more to the furtherance of this good work than the bringing of family religion more into practice and reputation. Here the reformation must begin.

Some of us have little spiritual vitality because we fail to feed on Christ day by day. Over time, we become spiritually anorexic.

Jesus calls all sinners to repent. True repentance is not a nebulous response of sorrow; it requires definite actions. Repentance so transforms the mind that it results in a changed life. Repentance does not merely say ____ sorry_ (similar to what we say when we accidentally step on someone__ foot). Rather, true repentance says from the heart, ____e been wrong and grieve over my sin, but now I see the truth, and I will change my ways accordingly.