Josh Benner

Tag: devotional

  • Faith that works

    Originally published January 4, 2017

    The Bible is clear that we are justified by faith. Jesus died on the cross. Jesus’ life was enough, his death was enough, the blood that he spilled was enough, his body that was broken was enough, the life he was resurrected to was enough. We could not earn God, we could not be Godly, and from his mercy and goodness, Jesus came for us, to live for us, to die for us, to save us from our sins. And all you have to do is to trust in that, to have faith in that.

    And when you do, God gives you his Spirit. Like the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (more…)

  • Being “born again” and why it’s so important

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    In John 3, a Pharisee named Nicodemus has seen the ministry of Jesus and he’s intrigued by this man. He approaches the Lord and Jesus tells this respected Jewish leader, who had dedicated his life to knowing the Bible and following God’s laws, that he must be “born again.”
    Being born again is also called regeneration and it is new life given by God through the Holy Spirit.
    In John 3, Jesus says that a person cannot see the kingdom of God without being born again (John 3:3).
    Jesus words on the subject matter. He is the authority.
    He’s telling Nicodemus, but he’s also telling all of us what must be done.
    The one who died and rose and lives today died that death so we could have life.
    There’s nothing else that counts. You can’t be good enough. You must have faith. The Spirit isn’t given to everyone, only to those who are born again. And you can have that if you believe in Jesus by faith.
    People like to believe in false gospels, because they hate the idea that Jesus is the only way.
    But Jesus was lifted up so that everyone who believes can have eternal life.
    Without that, you don’t have eternal life.
    Jesus died once so those who are born twice only have to die once.
    Everyone else will die twice. There will be their physical, earthly death, and also the eternal death and torment apart from God.
    Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
    It’s not up for debate in the same way that the laws of gravity aren’t up for a debate. They’re what they are regardless of if you like them.
    Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.
    Have you been born again? Have you come to faith in Jesus?
    We don’t get to walk into heaven on our terms.
    Jesus is the way.
    Because a Christian is born again, they are given this spiritual life, they are justified, which means they are in right legal standing with God. They are declared holy and righteous. A person is adopted into the family of God and is promised a heavenly inheritance. A person is sanctified which is the continual process of being made Holy and is equipped with Spiritual gifts.
    All of these things happen to a person who has been born again and has faith.
    Without being born again, a person doesn’t have the Spirit which means they’re not born again.
    If a person doesn’t have the Spirit, they’re not justified. Jesus’ grace does not apply to them if they haven’t responded in faith to the gospel.
    You must be born again.
    It all goes together.
    You don’t have an inheritance if you’re not born again because you haven’t been adopted if you haven’t been born again.
    They have nothing to do with how nice we are, how moral you are. This entire system flies in the face of a person’s ability to earn salvation.

    Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear what you think, and don’t forget to subscribe! 

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

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  • Proverbs: A wise way and a foolish way

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    There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.

    -Proverbs 14:12

    The Book of Proverbs is one of the most beloved books of the Bible. Hundreds of Proverbs covering topics ranging from finance, to time management, to interpersonal relationships, to raising children, the words we use, and the importance of hard work.

    I think it’s easy to take Proverbs as pithy statements. They are that but they’re also so much more. Proverbs are profound statements that point us to the wisdom of God and the reality of the world he has made and the best way to live is in accordance with God’s creation. Proverbs are meant to be internalized.

    Trying to view the world with Godly wisdom should be the pursuit of our lives. There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way to death.

    There are two ways to go. There is a way that is in accordance with the wisdom of men, there’s a way that’s what we want to do, there’s a way that’s enticing. In the end, that way leads to death, to destruction, to ruin, to sin.

    Which way are you going?

    Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear what you think, and don’t forget to subscribe! 

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

    Let’s connect!
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Instagram

     

  • There’s no such thing as a Christian who has not been born again

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    Originally published September 5, 2017

    Being born again is another word for the doctrine of “regeneration.” It is a supernatural work that God does within a person who comes to faith. All Christians are born again because all Christians have experienced regeneration. There’s no such thing as an unregenerate Christian. That’s not a Christian!

    Being born again is about coming to Christ, turning away from sin, and trusting in Jesus as your Lord and savior. And when we come to him, there is grace. There is forgiveness for our sins. (more…)

  • America’s idol: the unhealthy obsession with sports

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    Minnesota Vikings rookie kicker Daniel Carlson did not have a good game Sunday against the Packers. Carlson missed three field goals in a game which ended in a 29-29 tie. What made matters worse, two of those missed field goals came in overtime, including a lot second field goal that was basically a chip shot. On Monday, Carlson was released from the Vikings.

    It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

    It’s also life. It happens. We have bad days, it’s just that most of us don’t have bad days in front of millions of people.

    It’s interesting in the aftermath reading the comment online. I’m a sports fan so I understand frustration but what I don’t understand are the obscene tirades, the threats, taking shots at him as a person.

    Carlson’s most recent instagram photo was from September 11 and it was a collection of photos with him and local firefighters in commemoration of that day. A very nice thing. But it’s on that photo where “fans” are directing their venom and vitriol. I couldn’t help but read those comments and consider just how displaced someone’s priorities would have to be to think that that is an appropriate venue to criticize. The kicker later made his instagram private to avoid further online harassment.

    It’s not just Vikings fan. People harassing athletes and being over the top in the face of failure is common in sports. It’s also not unique to American sports.

    There is an unhealthy obsession with sports. It’s idolatry. The result of a game is not a person’s ultimate key to happiness and wholeness. People who curse out strangers in the safety of their parent’s basements because of a game are not happy people.

    If a person has so much anger in their heart that a loss makes them that mad, a win was never going to make them happy. Your team’s loss or an individual athlete’s failure isn’t the cause of unhappiness, it’s a symptom of underlying misery. We were made for infinite joy, and that joy is found in God. It is not something that is meant to fluctuate with the performance of our teams, our jobs, or even our health.

    Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear what you think, and don’t forget to subscribe! 

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

    Let’s connect!
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Instagram