Bibles for America Distributing Free study Bibles and Christian Books to Feed America http://biblesforamerica.org Why Did Jesus Have to Die? <p><img src="/media/matthew_26_28_small.gif" alt="matthew_26_28_small.gif"></p> <p>The crucifixion of Jesus is generally acknowledged as a defining event in human history. But why did Jesus have to die? His earthly life was perfect and his conduct irreproachable. He spoke words of wisdom and grace. He ministered to and cared for all kinds of people. Wasn’t it enough that His life is a good pattern for us? Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?</p> Mon, 26 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/why-did-jesus-have-to-die/ http://biblesforamerica.org/why-did-jesus-have-to-die/ Paying the Debt for Our Sin <p class='book-quote'>“Since God desired to save us and since we could not pay the debt of sin ourselves, He in His mercy decided to do so Himself. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, came to die on the cross to pay the debt for our sin. Having no sin Himself, He alone was qualified to die this substitutionary death. His death, being reckoned by God as ours, was acceptable to God, and He raised Him from the dead. Now when we believe in Christ, His death is counted in God’s sight as our own. Thus, our debt of sin is righteously paid, and we are saved.”</p> <p class='footer'>From Basic Elements of the Christian Life, vol. 1, by Witness Lee and Watchman Nee (mass-distribution ed., pp. 14-15). Bibles for America gives this book away for free. You can <a href="http://biblesforamerica.org/order/" target="_blank">order your free copy here</a>. You can also download a free PDF version <a href="http://www.mass.ministrybooks.org/Download.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p><img src="/media/BECL1_small.jpg" style="width: auto;" alt="BECL1_small.jpg"></p> Wed, 21 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/paying-the-debt-for-our-sin/ http://biblesforamerica.org/paying-the-debt-for-our-sin/ Will God Ever Stop Loving Me? <p><img src="/media/nothing_can_separate_us_small.gif" alt="nothing_can_separate_us_small.gif"></p> <p>We know in human relationships, people’s feelings for one another can fade over time. Sometimes the love between them even disappears altogether. People’s love can change. What about God’s?</p> <p>Sometimes we enjoy God’s love intensely and feel confident in His love. Other times, we’re not so conscious of His love. And at other times, we may wonder whether He even still loves us, especially after we’ve had a failure in our Christian life.</p> <p>Will God ever stop loving us?</p> <p>Let’s look at some Bible verses that show us the extent of God’s love for us. </p> Mon, 19 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/will-god-stop-loving-me/ http://biblesforamerica.org/will-god-stop-loving-me/ The Savior Ministering as a Physician <p class='verse-quote'>Matthew 9:11-12—“And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, Why does your Teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners? Now when He heard this, He said, Those who are strong have no need of a <strong>physician</strong>, but those who are ill.”</p> <p class='verse-footnote'>Note 1 on <strong>physician</strong> says: “In calling people to follow Him for the kingdom, the King of the heavenly kingdom ministered as a Physician, not as a Judge. A Judge’s judgment is according to righteousness, whereas a physician’s healing is according to mercy and grace. Wed, 14 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/the-savior-ministering-as-a-physician/ http://biblesforamerica.org/the-savior-ministering-as-a-physician/ Can You Lose Your Salvation? [with video] <p>Can a Christian lose their salvation? Having the security of salvation is <a href="http://biblesforamerica.org/why-is-assurance-of-salvation-important/">critical to our growth as Christians</a>, yet many of us are plagued with the fear that we will somehow lose our salvation. Maybe we think God will someday change His mind about us and cause us to be “un-saved.” Or maybe we fear that if we disobey the Lord, our failure will cause us to lose our salvation. Whether from God’s side or our side, we just don’t know how secure our salvation really is.</p> <p>But one of the first things we should be clear about after we believe in Jesus Christ is that our salvation is eternally secure. We have an eternal salvation. <a href="http://biblesforamerica.org/can-i-lose-my-salvation/">We cannot lose it</a>, and it can never be taken away. How can we know this? Seven proofs in the Scriptures confirm this fact. </p> <p>The video below briefly covers these proofs from the Scriptures and shows how definite the Bible is: once you are saved, you are always saved, and you cannot lose your salvation. </p> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xtBUu7Rmwyk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Mon, 12 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/can-you-lose-your-salvation-with-video/ http://biblesforamerica.org/can-you-lose-your-salvation-with-video/ God’s Purpose from Eternity <p class='book-quote'>“We must realize that our God can never be hindered or frustrated. When He purposes something, even though Hades and all of creation’s forces would rise to oppose Him, He cannot be resisted. Even though we are fallen and full of failure, even though we are fleshly and soulish, departing far from God and disobeying Him, God will still attain His purpose. No matter what man does, he cannot ruin God’s plan; the most He can do is delay it. Therefore, we must not only realize God’s purpose, but also be clear that God will fully attain what He has purposed. From eternity God purposed to obtain a church completely out of Christ, a church containing no impurity of man, no element of earth, nor any savor of sin. Every part of her is something out of Christ, and Christ is her very life.”</p> <p class='footer'>From The Glorious Church, by Watchman Nee (mass-distribution ed., p. 43). Bibles for America gives this book away for free. You can order your free copy on our <a href="http://biblesforamerica.org/free-bible-and-christian-books/" target="_blank">order page</a>. You can also download a free PDF version <a href="http://www.mass.ministrybooks.org/Download.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p><img src="/media/GC_small.jpg" style="width: auto;" alt="GC_small.jpg"></p> Wed, 07 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/gods-purpose-from-eternity/ http://biblesforamerica.org/gods-purpose-from-eternity/ Our Need to Be Renewed Day by Day <p><img src="/media/Titus%203_5_small.gif" alt="Titus 3_5_small.gif"></p> <p>People commonly view the New Year as a new fresh start, a time for turning over a new leaf. So we make all kinds of New Year’s resolutions and try to leave the baggage of the last year behind us. </p> <p>Why do we feel this drive for newness? </p> <p>Human beings inwardly long for a new beginning. Sensing we’re “old” and worn out, we try different things to make ourselves feel new. We look for a new hobby, embark on a new exercise program, try a new diet, get a new haircut, or buy new clothes. And sometimes we do feel new, for a time.</p> <p>But sooner or later we discover that nothing actually makes us lastingly, genuinely new. Everything eventually becomes old, and we’re back where we began, feeling like both our situation and we ourselves are old. </p> Mon, 05 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/our-need-to-be-renewed-day-by-day/ http://biblesforamerica.org/our-need-to-be-renewed-day-by-day/ Believers in Christ <p class='verse-quote'>1 Peter 5:14—“Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are <strong>in Christ</strong>.”</p> <p class='verse-footnote'>Note 2 on <strong>in Christ</strong>: “Peter stressed the fact that the believers are in Christ (<a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=1Peter3:16" target="_blank">3:16</a>; <a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=1Peter5:10" target="_blank">5:10</a>). It is of God and through our faith and baptism that we are in Christ (<a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=1Cor1:30" target="_blank"> Cor. 1:30</a>; <a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=John3:5" target="_blank">John 3:5</a>; <a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=Gal3:27" target="_blank">Gal. 3:27</a>; <a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=Rom6:3" target="_blank">Rom. 6:3</a>). This results in an organic union with the Triune God (<a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=Matt28:19" target="_blank">Matt. 28:19</a>) and makes us one spirit with the Lord (<a href="http://online.recoveryversion.org/getScripture.asp?vinfo=1Cor6:17" target="_blank">1 Cor. 6:17</a>).”</p> <p class='verse-quote'>Cross-reference “c” on <strong>in Christ</strong> directs us to two related verses:</p> Wed, 31 Dec 2014 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/believers-in-christ/ http://biblesforamerica.org/believers-in-christ/ A Special Time with the Lord at the Close of the Year <p><img src="/media/1%20Peter_1_8_small.gif" alt="1 Peter_1_8_small.gif"></p> <p>As the year ends, it’s a spiritually healthy practice for us to spend time before the Lord for prayerful reflection, giving thanks, and offering fresh consecration to Him. Besides thanking the Lord, item after item, for the many outward and material ways He’s met our needs, we can also ponder on and thank Him even more for the wonderful inward and eternal matters we have enjoyed as believers. These are the most real and lasting blessings in the universe, seen not with our physical eyes but with the inward eyes of our heart.</p> <p>When we have a special time with the Lord like this, beyond <a href="http://biblesforamerica.org/how-to-spend-time-with-the-lord-jesus-in-the-morning/">our usual daily time</a> with Him, our hearts become open and tender, and we give Him another opportunity to speak to us. Below are just a few things we can prayerfully consider to enrich our thanking and praising the Lord Jesus at the end of this year.</p> Mon, 29 Dec 2014 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/end-of-year-with-the-lord-jesus/ http://biblesforamerica.org/end-of-year-with-the-lord-jesus/ The Secret of Satisfaction <p class='book-quote'>“If we are truly one with the Lord in our experience and something negative happens to us, we need not be anxious or troubled. If we are not one with the Lord in a practical way, virtually every person, every matter, and every thing will bother us. We may be disturbed by our husband or wife or by our children. When we are not one with the Lord, nothing will be satisfactory to us. For example, apart from the Lord, no job is satisfying. The secret of satisfaction is to be one with Christ. When we are one with the Lord, we can be satisfied with our circumstances, and we can be forbearing with everyone, every thing, and every matter. Only when we are one with Christ can we be forbearing to the uttermost and be satisfied in all situations.”</p> <p class='footer'>From A Life Full of Forbearance but without Anxiety, by Witness Lee (mass-distribution ed., pp. 62-63). Bibles for America gives this book away for free. You can <a href="http://biblesforamerica.org/order/" target="_blank">order your free copy here</a>.</p> Wed, 24 Dec 2014 02:00:00 +0000 http://biblesforamerica.org/the-secret-of-satisfaction/ http://biblesforamerica.org/the-secret-of-satisfaction/