Generosity is not about dollar signs. It’s about the heart. And in this passage, Paul offers us a stunning picture of what genuine Christian giving looks like. Let’s walk through it together.

Godly Grief vs. Worldly Grief: The Kind of Sorrow That Leads to Life

At some point in life, we all feel the sting of shame. Maybe it comes after a heated argument, a failed relationship, or a moment when we let our integrity slip. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Is this sorrow from God—or is it just from the world?

In 2 Corinthians 7, the Apostle Paul introduces us to two very different kinds of grief. One leads to life. The other leads to death.

This is the final article in our series on Jehovah’s Witnesses. To read the others click here, here, and here. 

As we conclude our series on the JWs, let’s go to what truly matters — sharing Christ.  That is the goal of why I wrote this series on this group. We desire all JWs to repent of their false doctrine and turn to the true Jesus. The Jesus they talk about is a false Jesus who cannot save them. We do so because those in the JW organization will wind up standing before the one whom they rejected as being divine. To them, he is just Michael the archangel — a created being of God.  However, he is not as the Bible clearly depicts him as God. 

The New World Translation serves as the official sacred text of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. It was first published in 1950 as a way to give JWs a Bible that “honored God’s name.” However, it does anything but that as it is a perversion of what God originally said through His Spirit.  The translation committee of the New World Translation is understandably anonymous. For not one reputable Greek or Hebrew scholar would substantiate their butchering of the text.

Some may ignorantly assume that Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) are just another Christian denomination. However, nothing could be further from the truth. JWs deny every key Christian doctrine related to Jesus, salvation, the authority of the Bible, and more. It is crucial for Christians to understand what they believe in order to effectively witness to them.

At Northwest Baptist Church, we believe the Lord’s Supper is more than a memorial. It is not just something we do to remember Christ—it is a sacred act where we gather as one body to proclaim His death, to be strengthened by His grace, and to look forward to His return.

If you’ve ever talked to a Jehovah’s Witness at your front door, you may have wondered: Where did this all begin? Their beliefs sound so different from historic Christianity—and they are indeed heretically different.

In 1789, Benjamin Franklin famously wrote, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes." And for many, that sentiment rings true. You’re born, you pay taxes, and then you die. But how depressing is that? If those are the only certainties in life, what hope is there?

This is precisely why the resurrection of Jesus Christ matters. Because of Christ, there is more certainty than death and taxes. For the Christian, the hope is death and resurrection. That is our reality.

Repentance. A word that makes people uncomfortable. A word that has become almost unwelcome in many churches today. But repentance is not optional—it is essential. From the beginning of Scripture to the end, God commands His people to repent. And as men, we are called to lead the way in repentance, both in our homes and in our churches. If we desire strong families and strong churches, it begins with us. It begins with our willingness to humble ourselves before God, confess our sins, and turn back to Him.

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

This verse is a clear and direct call to pursue holiness with a dire consequence if not followed. The word strive means to pursue, to chase after, to actively engage in something with intent and purpose. But what does it truly mean to pursue holiness?

Joining a church is a significant decision in a Christian’s life. The New Testament emphasizes the necessity of the local church. In the New Testament there was no such thing as a “churchless” Christian. Christians are called to belong to churches. In the context of a local church, we are held accountable, sanctified, build relationships, serve, and worship with those who know Christ as Lord.

Believe it or not, five years ago today, (March 2nd, 2020) The Gospel Forum began. It’s surreal to think that so much time has passed as we continue serving Christ for the sake of the local church. As we mark this milestone, I want to take a moment to reflect on how it all began.

Grace is not like the water in that bucket. The water in the bucket was only good for a short period. Once the water rose to room temperature it became ineffective. I think most people live as if this were true of grace. However, grace is not like that at all. Grace is not a temporary fix. Grace is for every moment of every day. Grace, then, is like the water from the faucet. It’s fresh and new every moment and sufficient for whatever we may encounter. It is never ineffective. We often live our lives as if we have our hand in the bucket. We love to get our grace fix and then move on to something bigger and better. Grace is much more than that. Grace is like oxygen. We can’t live without it, and there is an inexhaustible supply to breathe in all day long. Grace in its nature is inexhaustible.

After Jesus died, and it had been confirmed that He was dead, they removed His body from the cross. Joseph of Arimathea, a follower of Jesus, asked permission from Pilate to receive His body. Matthew tells us that Joseph was a rich man, which makes sense as to why he would have a tomb to give away for Jesus’ burial. This might seem like an insignificant detail, but it is, in fact, fulfilled prophecy. Isaiah prophesied that Messiah’s death and grave would be in association with the rich (Isaiah 53:9), but there was more to this tomb than its belonging to a rich man. Matthew, Luke, and John tell us that it was a new tomb (Matthew 27:60, Luke 23:53, and John 19:41). John even tells us detailed information about the location of the tomb. “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.” (John 19:41)

David is known as the “great psalmist of Israel.” He wrote 75 out of the 150 Psalms which were sung as the ancient hymn book of Israel. These songs, which also serve as majestic poetry, are balms to the human soul. They are raw with great expressions of emotion and display the great heartache and praise of the King of Israel. David was a man who loved the Lord and music, and we are blessed that the Holy Spirit has preserved and inspired these words for us today. Some of the Psalms that David wrote were Messianic. That is, they looked forward to what this “Son of David” would do. Some of the Messianic Psalms are Psalms 2, 22, 69, 72, and 100.