The Sandlot Gospel
The forgiveness of your sins and your reconciliation with God the Father courtesy of Christ’s cross and blood is gifted to you, for you.
Contributors
Zack James Cole
Zack James Cole grew up in the Bible Belt of the American South. He became a United States Marine in 2004 and served on Active Duty until 2009. He was deployed to Iraq twice during Operation: Iraqi Freedom. He earned his M.Div in Theological Studies from Liberty Theological Seminary. He now serves as an Associate Pastor at Suwannee Station Family Life Church in Suwannee, Georgia.
Christ Hold Fast
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The Christmas Star
The miracle of the gift of faith is very much like the Christmas star. It came without invitation. It came without our deciding to accept it. It came without us choosing to believe it was true.
What If I Am Not Saved?
I rededicated my life as many times as I could when the guilt was unbearable. I would read my Bible more and pray more, yet I still struggled. I knew deep down, I was breaking God’s heart with my failure at being his child.
Declaration of Dependence
The gospel of Jesus Christ is also a declaration. It is a declaration of something that has already happened, “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day."
Before God, I Swear This Creed
How do I know the expectations of every Marine even though I am not able to cite specific orders from Marine Corps handbooks? The Rifleman’s Creed tells me.
Ruined By the Gospel
The gospel is a one-way rescue by God, through Jesus, for sinners, courtesy of the Holy Spirit exploding faith into an individual who is hearing the good news.
The Lord's Funeral
One area where my theology was completely backward was the Lord's Supper. Growing up I remember that it felt more like the Lord's Funeral.
On the Quarterdeck
Did the suffering stop? No. It actually got worse. The commands of what exercise to do next sped up and intensified for both of us. The Guide was allowing himself to be smoked with me.
Sleeping Ugly
Do you remember fairy tales? Tales of magical creatures and far away fantasy lands? They were legends of lore that included dragons, magic, a moral to the story or a hero saving the day.
The Grace Pirate
You have heard it said that "Dead men tell no tales." “Ah, but they do tell tales!” says I.
The Final Review
With a new year comes many new things. In the corporate world, we again introduced to our yearly performance review.
On Being Haunted
I am often haunted by my past. I am daily haunted by what I should be doing.
NOT the Gospel
There was a TV show back in the ‘90s called “Dinosaurs” that I used to sneak into the living room at night to watch.
Turnt
When I hear the word “repentance” my mind quickly goes to those old terror inducing Chick Tracts.
Enemy Prisoner of War
In the United States Marine Corps, part of my training involved Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW) handling. The 6 rules of EPW handling are:
Someone Over the Rainbow
I hate driving. I am more of a “pew-pew” guy than a “vroom-vroom” guy. I battle my own heart every day in Atlanta traffic.
Knowing is Half the Battle
I cannot recall how many times I sang along to this theme song, punching and kicking as a kid in the 80s. But much of my desire to join the Marine Corps had its genesis in the 80s cartoon “G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.”
The Gift of Righteousness
The words “gift of righteousness” will bring about two completely polar opposite feelings: One of Dread. One of Relief.
Bruised and Smoldering
“Obey God and he will bless you,” says the wind and the reed is bent over and bruised throughout. “God will never stop loving you but you can disappoint him,” says the wind and the once lit candle is now a sad smoldering wick.
Living in a Van Down By the River
My experience as a Christian did not revolve around Christ. It revolved around asking, “What is God’s will for my life?” Hunting the answer to this question was my god, and I paid homage to it every day.