Over the years, I have heard people say that the biggest threat to the church these days is a specific preacher, a government policy, the culture around us, watered-down Christian teaching, and a thousand other things. While some of those are legitimate concerns, I do not think any of them are the biggest threat. Here is my nomination for that title. “For this very reason [because God has given us the gift of salvation], make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8). To be clear: We are not saved because we are good, smart, or right. We are saved by God’s grace alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that w...