We face a lot of deadlines in this life. Whether it's homework, bills, taxes, applications or registrations, every one of us could use a grace period now and then. This whole world is facing a deadline " the return of Christ. The good news is that God has given the human race an incredibly long grace period, and the Bible explains why in 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
Whether Christ returns in our lifetime or not, we each have a deadline at the end of our lives. As it says in Hebrews 9:27, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Unfortunately, none of us know just how long our particular grace period is going to last, which is why the Bible urges us, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion" (Hebrews 3:15).
It's kind of ironic that a grace period is an amount of time to get something done, and yet with God, it's not really about you doing something as much as it's about accepting something that He has already done for you: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As that verse points out, we are saved by grace" period.
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines grace as "unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification." Both the dictionary and the Bible agree that we don't get grace because of anything we have done; it's unmerited. God didn't wait for us to save ourselves, because he knew we couldn't: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). And He didn't save us because we loved Him so much either: "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10).
Again and again, the Bible hammers home the point that it is grace and grace alone that saves us. This is offensive to some people, but to those who know just how truly sinful they are, this is truly Good News. Grace is a gift, and like any gift, you can accept it or refuse it. It's our hope that you will accept it.
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12)
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01.
Corinthians - In the End - Linkin Park
02.
Cornelius - Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel
03.
I'm a Receiver - I'm a Believer - Smash Mouth, the Monkees
04.
YHWH - YMCA - Village People
05.
Smooth Grandmama - Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm, Michael Jackson
06.
The Devil Went Down to Jordan - The Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels
07.
Drop of Lucifer - Drops of Jupiter - Train
08.
Born Above - Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
09.
Follow Me - Follow Me - Uncle Kracker
10.
Don't Fear the People - (Don't Fear) the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
11.
Lemonade - Renegade - Styx
12.
How You Rewind Me - How You Remind Me - Nickelback
13.
Regeneration - My Generation - the Who
14.
Love the Jews - Love Me Do - the Beatles
15.
Good Guys, Bad Guys - Good Times, Bad Times - Led Zeppelin
16.
Flurry - Blurry - Puddle of Mudd
17.
Tom Saw Ya - Tom Sawyer - Rush
18.
Sufferin' Just Finished (Haman) - Suffragette City - David Bowie
19.
Smells Like Thirtysomething Spirit - Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Amazing Album Period| Posted June 29, 2016 THIS REVIEW IS ADAPTED FROM A REVIEW I POSTED ON MY WEBSITE. TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF APOLOGETIX'S ALBUMS FROM 1997 TO 2007, CLICK HERE!
It’s amazing to think that we are saved by grace—period. And we all have a grace period to accept his gift of grace. And I love how ApologetiX hammers this point in this album!
The rocker “Corinthians” starts the album and reminds us about love. And isn’t what grace stems from—love? And we see that God allowed us Gentiles to believe in him in the song “Cornelius,” and we can shout “I’m A Receiver!”
No electrona songs abound here (this is 2002, man), but you could dance to a little brass in “YHWH” (which, by the way, I could handle) and get a few laughs, and you could dance to some rock in “Smooth Grandmama,” which is one of APX’s biggest hits (J. Jackson, lead singer, said it hit the top 25 national Christian rock charts). This song is also a tribute to those “fanatical” relatives who brought their family to Christ.
We hear songs from James’ perspective in “Follow Me” and we hear about when Thomas saw the Lord Jesus when He resurrected (“Tom Saw Ya”).
Subjects can get deep, like a song that was originally about suicide is now turned to one about Christian martyrs (“Don’t Fear The People”), and we hear them “talkin’ ‘bout Regeneration.”
This album closes with the classic hit “Baa! We’re Lambs,” which you might have heard covered by other Christian artists.
This album, my favorite from the Karl years, has an awesome combination of songs from different eras and has an awesome variety of styles. Plus, this is one of APX’s albums at their finest, this also being one of their most popular!
Pick up this album, and it comes with awesome tracks, laughs, and lessons to learn! Wanna miss out on those? Probably not.
My favorite tracks:
“Corinthians” (parody of “In the End” by Linkin Park)
“How You Rewind Me” (parody of “How You Remind Me” by Nickelback)
“Smells Like Thirtysomething Spirit” (parody of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana)
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