The essence of Christian obedience is not do’s and don’ts but personal allegiance to Jesus.

It is impossible to forgive someone if you feel superior to him or her.

Through the person and work of Jesus Christ, God fully accomplishes salvation for us, rescuing us from judgment for sin into fellowship with him, and then restores the creation in which we can enjoy our new life together with him forever.

If we can't "love the sinner; hate the sin" then how can we relate to ourselves? Love who we are in Christ but still hate the sin remaining.

Our character is mainly shaped by our primary social community - the people with whom we eat, play, converse, and study.

Jesus does not divide the world into the moral "good guys" and the immoral "bad guys". He shows us that everyone is dedicated to a project of self-salvation, to using God and others in order to get power and control for themselves. We are just going about it in different ways. Even though both sons are wrong, however, the father cares for them and invites them both back into his love and feast.

The church is often like a football stadium where 22 people need a rest and thousands of people need exercise.