Question: Did Jesus Christ Die for Our Sins?

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Mac

Now and then we have a special message addressing one or more questions sent in by New Way Church participants. This week, we spend the entire time responding to the question, “Does the New Church teach that Jesus Christ died for our sins?”

The short answer: “Yes!” But when we say that Jesus died for our sins, we mean something different than you may be conditioned to expect. What does it actually mean that Jesus died for our sins? Well, it all has to do with what Jesus meant when he spoke about “blood”. The blood of Jesus is not a symbol for death and suffering, but of life! His command that we “drink his blood” was him speaking “in parable” about his desire for us to make his life’s teachings a part of our souls by not only learning them, but by living them. Jesus died not as a sacrifice to a God that demanded painful punnishment, but rather died as a warrior dies in combat, fighting hell, and setting us free. We can have that freedom not by letting him “take it for us”, but rather by taking up our cross and following him! How? By allowing our lower nature to be put to death. Through the spiritual act of practicing love for God and neighbor above selfish desires, we too “die”, and so follow Jesus, the one true God, into true life, his spiritual blood coursing through our veins.

Jesus Christ died for our sins. But not as a punnishment for our sins, but rather to show us a way out from under them. He died to lead us out from under the slavery of hell. And Jesus Christ lived, so that you could follow him and be free.

That’s just a summary. For the full answer, listen to Question: “Did Jesus Christ Die for Our Sins?”:

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Here are the readings from “Did Jesus Christ Die for Our Sins?”:
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Movie Time!

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Mac

During July and into August, we will be celebrating summer by doing something different in our Sunday morning worship gatherings. It’s Movie Time at New Way Church!

Every Sunday morning our message will use a clip from some popular movie to illustrate an idea related to Christian spirituality. There will be no formal kids’ program, although we will still be offering nursery for the very little ones.

Each Sunday will be a different Biblical, spiritual principle, and will use a clip from a different movie. And you’re invited. As always, just come as you are. (And bring a friend!)

 

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NO WORSHIP GATHERING ON JUNE 26th!

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Mac

Hey, folks! Mac, here with an important message:

On Sunday, June 26th, 2011, we will not be having our regularly scheduled worship gathering.

On that Sunday evening, I will begin attending an annual conference of New Christian (Swedenborgian) pastors from all across the globe. Also, our staff will have just attended a week long conference for members of our sponsoring organization, the General Church of the New Jerusalem. And hey, it’s the beginning of summer, we’re a brand new church, and all of our volunteers deserve a nice little break.

But we’ll all be back in time for worship the following Sunday, July 3rd, when we’ll be talking about spiritual freedom. Hope to see you there! Come as you are, and bring a friend.

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