HFD Ministries

The Gospel Jesus Preached - 6 - The difference between believe and faith

Scripture focus (referenced): John 3:3; Matthew 16:17; James 2:19Scripture focus (thematic): Hebrews 4; Hebrews 11; Romans 10; Ephesians 2:8–9
Themes:Clarifying belief as recognition through revelation and faith as trust that rests and lives from what has been seen, showing that agreement and transformation are not the same.
Keywords:belief vs faith, revelation, trust, rest, born again, spiritual awakening, finished work of Christ

The Gospel Jesus Preached - 5 - Early church fathers agree

Scripture focus (referenced): John 1:4–9; John 3:3Scripture focus (thematic): Romans 5; Colossians 1; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Peter 1:4
Themes:Showing that early church fathers closest to the apostles held a life-centered, union-focused view of salvation as restoration and participation, not fear-based religion or transactional belief.
Keywords:early church fathers, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Athanasius, union with Christ, salvation as restoration, participation, awakening

The Gospel Jesus Preached - 4 - It is possible to believe in Jesus and still be asleep

Scripture focus (referenced): John 3:1–3; Mark 8:18; Revelation 3:2Scripture focus (thematic): Matthew 13:13–16; Romans 8; Ephesians 5:14; Hebrews 4
Themes:Revealing that belief alone does not produce spiritual sight, and that being born again is an awakening from spiritual sleep into awareness of the Kingdom already present.
Keywords:believing but asleep, spiritual awakening, born again, seeing the Kingdom, trust versus fear, rest, revelation

The Gospel Jesus Preached - 3 - The real problem was never distance, but blindness

Scripture focus (referenced): John 9:39; Matthew 13:13–15; John 5:39–40Scripture focus (thematic): Isaiah 6:9–10; Luke 4:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 8
Themes:Identifying blindness, not distance from God, as the core problem Jesus came to heal, revealing that transformation comes through restored sight rather than moral effort or religious performance.
Keywords:spiritual blindness, seeing the Kingdom, perception, fear-based religion, revelation, trust, rest, Gospel of Jesus

The Gospel Jesus Preached - 2 - Jesus didn't preach go to heaven

Scripture focus (referenced): Mark 1:15Scripture focus (thematic): Luke 17:21; Matthew 4:17; Isaiah 61:1–2; John 1:14
Themes:Reframing the Gospel Jesus preached as the present invasion of God’s Kingdom into the world, not an escape to heaven after death.
Keywords:heaven, Kingdom of God, gospel of Jesus, fear-based religion, Kingdom now, restoration, good news

The Gospel Jesus Preached - 1 - Intro

Scripture (referenced): Matthew 13:10–17; Matthew 22:1–14; Matthew 25:31–46; Matthew 7:13–14; Matthew 7:21–23
Scripture (inferred): Luke 24:25–27; John 16:12–13; 2 Timothy 2:7; Hebrews 5:11–14; 1 John 4:18
Themes: Invitation into tension and honest inquiry; confronting fear-based interpretations; reading warning passages in context; process over instant agreement; Jesus’ Gospel as good news not threat.
Keywords: disclaimer, fear, warnings, parables, judgment, context, Holy Spirit, good news

Something so beautiful about the manger

Scripture focus (referenced): —Scripture focus (thematic): Luke 2:10–16; John 1:14; Philippians 2:6–8; Romans 8
Themes:Revealing Christmas as the incarnation of God’s nearness, dismantling performance-based religion and showing that God comes close before humanity is fixed.
Keywords:Christmas, incarnation, manger, fear-based religion, God’s nearness, trust, sonship, grace

The narrow path

Scripture focus (referenced): Matthew 7:13–14; Luke 13:24Scripture focus (thematic): Hebrews 4; Romans 8; Galatians 2:20; John 15:4
Themes:Reframing the narrow gate as the path of trust and dependence, not stricter rules, showing that life is found by letting go of self-reliance and walking with Christ.
Keywords:narrow gate, straight and narrow, trust versus self-effort, self-reliance, rest, grace, sonship