Tag: Southern Gospel Radio

Understanding Justification: Faith vs. Works

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JEFF TURNER

Almost 500 years ago, Martin Luther emphasized the core message of the gospel: justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. If this is true, how should we understand a passage like James 2:24, which says, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”? It might seem like this verse is saying that works do play a role in our salvation.

However, works do not provide our salvation. Instead, they have a very important role in showing that our salvation is real. Isn’t James saying that to other people who observe our lives, we are seen as justified by our actions, not just by our faith, which is invisible. We know that before God, we are justified by grace through faith. But to the world, both believers and non-believers, they cannot see our faith. Therefore, our good deeds demonstrate that we have been justified.

This is similar to what Paul said in Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” [Ephesians 2:8-10. Salvation is decided by faith alone, but it is shown by our obedience to God’s will.

Understanding 1 Peter 3:21: Baptism and Salvation

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JEFF TURNER

1 Peter 3:21 says, “Baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Some people might read the part that says, “Baptism now saves you,” and think that water baptism is necessary for salvation. However, the very next phrase clarifies this by saying, “not the removal of dirt from the flesh.” Clearly, Peter is saying that water itself cannot save anyone.

Peter goes on to explain in the same verse that salvation comes through faith in the work of Christ, which was made possible by his resurrection. Salvation is not achieved by any action or ritual, including baptism. Instead, it is about an “appeal to God for a good conscience,” which means asking God to cleanse and purify your heart and conscience. This cleansing happens not through a ritual like baptism, but through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the only way to safety and salvation through his death and resurrection. The only way to appeal to God for a good conscience is to ask for the salvation provided in Jesus Christ.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

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JEFF TURNER

In Matthew 12, Jesus gave a strong warning against the Pharisees, saying that any blasphemy can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus even stated that the person who commits this sin cannot be forgiven in this life or in the life to come. This is a very serious statement, so what exactly does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

This is related to a specific time in history, during the ministry of Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to earth, he submitted to the will of God the Father and worked through the power of the Holy Spirit. Everything he did was by this power. When the leaders of Israel said about Jesus that he did his miracles by the power of Satan, or Beelzebub, Jesus said, “You have blasphemed the Holy Spirit by attributing my works to Satan. That’s unforgivable”. It was unforgivable because they had seen all that Jesus did and heard all that he said, and yet they chose to believe the exact opposite of the truth, concluding that he was from Satan rather than God. This complete rejection of Christ, knowing the truth and still denying it, cannot be forgiven. Any rejection of Christ in this manner is also unforgivable.

The Meaning of ‘Firstborn’ in Relation to Jesus Christ

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JEFF TURNER

Throughout church history, some significant errors have come from those who deny that Jesus is God. They do not believe he is the second part of the Trinity, the eternal God who always existed. Since the Bible clearly teaches that Christ is eternal, What does Romans 8:29, mean when it calls Jesus the “firstborn among many brethren.” If Jesus has always been, why would Paul call him the firstborn?

This is a very important question. The Greek word translated as “firstborn” is πρωτότοκος (prōtotokos). In reality, this word does not describe the order of birth, and it doesn’t even necessarily mean a birth happened in the typical sense. Instead, it is a word that means preeminent, meaning the most important or highest-ranking. So, what Romans 8:29 is saying is that among all people, Jesus is the preeminent one. Using language that usually refers to the most important son in a family is similar to other ways the Bible uses human-like words to describe God. For example, God is described as a fire or as a protective bird in the Old Testament. These are metaphors.

Doesn’t the idea of the “firstborn,” borrow from human language, emphasizing the exalted position of Christ? He is the most important one.

Ricky Carden Marks 34 Years with The Down East Boys

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JEFF TURNER

This May, Ricky Carden will celebrate 34 years with The Down East Boys. His long journey in gospel music began when he was just 19 years old. The group became the second stop in what would grow into a lifelong career.

Carden recalls how it all started, crediting one man in particular for changing his path.

“Our ANR guy for Sunlight Records, Greg Bentley, and he’s the reason I’m in this mess,” said Carden.

He met Bentley through a well-known gospel group called the Hoppers. They gave Carden his first real taste of life on the road.

“I started at 19, of course I met Greg through a group called the Hoppers that everybody knows and they allow me to go on the road with him some just to see what it was all about,” he said. “I loved the music and wanted to be a part of it but didn’t really know a lot about it or how. I just sang it in church.”

Carden shared how Claude Hopper, a member of the group, quickly put him to work.

“Of course if you know Claude, Claude will put you to work,” he said. “He put me on the road and we’re unloading equipment, we’re doing all this stuff, and he just called me up one night.”

That call led to more time singing on stage with the Hoppers over the course of a year. Around that time, Greg Bentley joined The Down East Boys.

“A year later, and I had graduated high school, and he called and said, ‘We need a lead singer. I think you can do it,'” Carden recalled. “I didn’t know if I could or not, but I certainly wanted the chance.”

Just a few weeks later, he was on the bus with the group. That moment became the start of something lasting.

“And I’ve been here ever since. So 34 years in May,” he said.

Through hard work and a love for gospel music, Ricky Carden turned a single opportunity into a lifelong commitment. His story is one of faith, music, and perseverance—rooted in a moment that changed everything.