Crosswalk

How can a person be made right with God?

Continuing through Romans 10, Pastor Steve Whinery explains why keeping commandments can never produce the righteousness God requires. The law exposes our need for a Savior, and every sacrifice pointed forward to Jesus—the One who fulfilled what we could never accomplish ourselves.

Paul then brings the gospel down to its beautiful simplicity: believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess Him as Lord. Salvation is not something we earn or something we add to Christ’s work. Jesus has already done what was necessary.

The question is not whether we can make ourselves righteous. The question is whether we will trust the real Jesus and confess Him as Lord.

Is it possible to be sincere about God and still miss what He wants?

In Romans 10, Pastor Steve Whinery examines Israel’s zeal for God and the mistake of trying to establish righteousness through religious effort. Knowing Scripture, attending church, or comparing ourselves to people who seem worse than us cannot make us right with God.

The difference is not simply between religious and irreligious people. It is the difference between knowing about God and actually knowing Him. True righteousness does not come from our performance—it comes through faith in Christ.

Religion asks, “Am I good enough?” The gospel points us to Jesus.

What do you do when you realize you’ve made a bad decision—but you’ve already given your word?

As Joshua 9 continues, Israel discovers that the Gibeonites deceived them into making a covenant. Although the agreement was made without first seeking the Lord, Joshua and the leaders refuse to correct one mistake by committing another. They honor their promise even when keeping it comes at a cost.

Pastor Steve Whinery examines integrity, discernment, the consequences of the commitments we make, and the danger of becoming bound to people and situations God never intended for us.

We may not be able to undo every bad decision, but we can choose to do what is right from this point forward. God can still work through the consequences when we walk in obedience and integrity.

What does the Bible mean when it speaks of a “sin leading to death”?

In this special Q&A episode, Pastor Steve Whinery examines one of the more difficult warnings in 1 John 5 and its connection to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The discussion explores how continued rejection of God can harden a person’s heart and why the real danger is ultimately refusing the work of the Holy Spirit that points us to Christ.

The conversation also addresses what Scripture says about children and people with disabilities, their inherent worth as those made in the image of God, and Paul’s teaching about vessels of honor and dishonor in 2 Timothy 2.

A hardened heart doesn’t happen all at once. Scripture repeatedly warns us: when God speaks, don’t keep pushing Him away.

How can something look completely right and still lead us in the wrong direction?

In Joshua 9, the Gibeonites deceive Israel with old clothes, worn-out sandals, moldy bread, and a convincing story. Joshua and the leaders examine the evidence in front of them—but fail to do the one thing that mattered most: ask counsel of the Lord.

Pastor Steve Whinery uses their mistake to examine spiritual warfare, discernment, deception, and the danger of relying on our own judgment. The enemy doesn’t always attack openly. Sometimes the greatest danger comes disguised as something harmless, reasonable, or even spiritual.

Wisdom looks beyond appearances. Before making the decision, seek the Lord.