Grace Christian Church of the Philippines

In part 2 of our mini-series on gender and human sexuality, we explore issues surrounding sexual orientation and ways to lovingly engage a culture where the LGBTQ+ lifestyle is considered normal and acceptable.

It is important to understand the complex issue of gender identy from both the biblical and secular worldviews to engage in impactful conversations. Central to this issue is the question: Can I be what I feel? How would you answer?

As with all things and especially with passionate topics such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where differing perspectives and opinions can divide, it is very important for a follower of Jesus to look in the Bible and see these issues through the lenses of God’s attributes, to know what God has done in the past, is doing in the present, and will do in the future.

For many followers of Jesus, the freedom we have in Christ is synonymous with the ability to make our own decisions and choose our own path in life and to do whatever we want, whenever we want. But Scripture reminds us that “All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build people up.” (1 Corinthians 10:23, NASB). We know that in matters of biblical truth, there can be no compromise. But how do we navigate the gray areas? When dealing with matters not directly addressed in the Bible such as the type of music you listen to, the movies you watch, smoking, gaming, or drinking alcohol, how do we discern the answer to “I can, but should I?”

Knowing God’s plans for the future teaches us how to live in the present. Scripture gives us glimpses of glory that God has in store for us in the future to encourage us to live rightly in the midst of earthly chaos and problems and to remind us that our eyes should be pointed heavenward.

God is omnipresent, meaning He is present everywhere; and for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, there is an assurance that God is with us always. But because God is also holy, it means that while we can never be out of God's reach, we can lose His favor and damage our relationship with Him if we sin, and this should be the greatest fear of a follower of Jesus. A profound and intimate encounter between Moses, the Israelites, and God in Exodus 33 serves as a powerful reminder of how we can pursue God's presence in our lives.

For people who call themselves followers of Jesus, God’s Word is not simply a book of guidelines. What is written is expected to be lived out. In Colossians 4:2-6 there are four mandates all followers of Jesus must follow.

*Correction on 16:14 - verse read is 2 Corinthians 11:3

We all have hopes and dreams of how life should or could be, and expectations of how it will come to fruition. But at some point in our lives, our dreams seem to turn into nightmares. What can we do when our dreams turn into nightmares, especially as a follower of Jesus?

There's a question every Christian needs to answer, and the answer will determine whether the local church will be known as a church that follows Jesus.

In this achievement culture we live in, we are never satisfied, we want what others have, and we think that everyone in the world has the same desires we do. This is the sin of coveting, an act so sinister that can lead to the destruction of our lives. Here are important principles to help you identify and deal with covetousness in your life.