Corrections by Joe La Bianca

Why would you correct somebody? What is the motive behind your correction? Is it necessary to correct them? What kind of corrections are you making? Is your life one big correction? Does your theology require you to correct almost everybody about almost everything?
You correct people because you feel the need to. The motives for doing this are many; some are good, some are bad. But even the good motives can be bad. You could correct someone with good motives, when the correction is unnecessary, even wrong. I have a feeling that lots of corrections that people make are unjustified and hurtful.
I am talking about religious corrections here. You correct people either because you care for their souls or because of self righteousness. The former has good motives, the latter doesn’t. Of course you think it’s necessary to correct people. Otherwise you wouldn’t do it, unless for self-righteousness’ sake. But did you ever think that some of your...

Time by Joe La Bianca

I saw an interview with a famous actor. He was afraid of wasting any time. He is 44 now. He sees his life moving toward its end, and it scares him. Time is all he has. After his life, according to his belief, there is nothing. Ingrid Bergman used to be like this. Toward the golden years of her life, she couldn’t waste any time. She would walk out on movies if they weren’t good. She couldn’t waste her time, just like this actor.
The belief that this life is all there is, with no after life, causes stress, anxiety, and fear in all those who believe it. Even people who believe in the after life, if they are not sure of their acceptance with God, are fearful. Some people block it out altogether.
I remember one time I saw a very old man in his car. As he made the turn he looked at me, gave a great big smile and waved. He had time to do all this because he was only driving three miles per hour. I said to myself, “how can he be so happy when he only...

Let God Be True by Joe La Bianca

Romans 3:1-4
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”

The Jews of old had a superior position. In a sense, they were beyond the rest of the world in preeminence. God chose those who belonged to Israel to benefit in every way. Israel was the most useful nation in the world because they were given the very words of God. Israel was God’s conduit into the world. God gave them the law of Moses, which prepared the world for Jesus.
This is so because the law identified us as sinners, and drove us to the grace of the cross.
God gave Israel the sacrificial system and...

Names by Joe La Bianca

What’s in a name? Names are used as a means of identification. You can associate a name with a face and establish the identity of the person. But names have meanings, meanings which are either forgotten in many cases, or never known to begin with. I met a bank teller who’s name was the same as my wife’s maiden name. I asked her if she knew what her last name meant, and she did not. So I told her what her name meant, and she was very interested to hear it. Your names all have meanings. If you don’t know the meanings, you may want to find out what they are. By the way, my wife’s name means dairy farmer in German.
My name is Joe La Bianca and it has a relevant meaning behind it. Joseph means he shall add. The he is referring to the Lord. La Bianca means the white. So my name is a sentence that means He shall add the white, or another rendering would read this way - The Lord will give His goodness. Pretty cool, huh?
Let’s look at the meaning...

Happy Waiting by Joe La Bianca

Romans 15:5-12
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.” And again it say, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.” And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; and Gentiles will hope in him.”

God gives cheerful hope and happy waiting in Jesus. This...

The Difference by Joe La Bianca

There are two ideas about holiness I’d like to write about. One is our standing through Christ, or the way God sees believers. The other is the way we live on earth, or the things we do. Is there a difference?
If you believe there is a great difference, then you are pleasing to God. If you think there is a small difference, then you are less pleasing to God. If you believe there is no difference, then you are not pleasing to God.
First let me say that I am not writing about living in clear cut, willful sin that the Word condemns. As believers, we died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? With that out of the way, let me continue.
If you believe there is a great difference between the way God sees the believer and the way the believer lives, you are well pleasing to God. This is because you exalt Jesus and His cross, and you exhibit true humility.
If you are viewed as spotless and perfect merely because you trust in the...

Romans 1:11-12
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Paul longed to see the Romans so that he could strengthen their faith in Jesus. It was his deep desire to see others benefit by hearing the good news of light and easy Christianity. Jesus makes the burdensome light, and the difficult easy, by the kindness of His grace, when we simply and only trust Him to.
When someone serves God by sharing the gospel, he is imparting what is here called “a spiritual gift.” The supernatural gospel, when believed upon, is a regenerating, divinely ethereal gift, which is given by grace, through the Son of God and faith in His cross. The result of the gift of the gospel is steadfast strength. We are turned, resolutely, in a godly direction, when we willingly choose to believe the gospel. The gospel, simply put, is the good news of the death, burial and...

Hidden by Joe La Bianca

Col. 3:3-6
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears,
then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever
belongs to your earthly nature:
sexual immorality, impurity, lust,
evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
If you believe in the cross of Christ, that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, it means that you died with Jesus on the cross. The punishment for sins is already in the past for the believer. You believe in Jesus as the bearer of sins, so your sins are carried, punished, put to death and forgiven in Christ. Without Christ, our sins remain, for we cannot pay for our own sins. Since we cannot pay for our sins, we remain imprisoned forever. Only a sinless life could pay for sins. And Jesus, the only sinless Person, gave His life in kindness.
A believer’s life is...