Growing in Grace

In his letters to Timothy, Paul talked about people with itching ears who would pursue myths and fables as they strayed from sound teaching. Have you ever had someone from the legalistic side of the fence make the accusation it is a reference to those 'hyper-grace radicals?' So ... who are these people Paul mentions with mosquito bites on their ears? :) Suffice it to say that it wasn't people who embraced unlimited and overflowing grace—but some might be surprised to discover it was quite the opposite.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

In spite of whatever ups and downs you've had on this planet ... whatever inconsistencies and broken promises you've lived or experienced from others ... no matter what the struggles ... we have a guarantee. It's Jesus. While the religions of the world (often including Christianity) will tend to focus on 'our' doing, our methods, our efforts and our good deeds to be seen by others—God made an oath with Himself that you and I can't invalidate. Therefore, neither can He—because He is the one true Promise Keeper.

Behavior improvements are beneficial for us and those around us. But you are not identified by performance and what you're "doing for God." Our eternal redemption is not established on improvements but is based on 'being' perfect through an act that a Savior did for us. God will not relate to you on the basis of good or bad performance. On the other side of that coin, true peace and freedom will be more fully experienced when we stop relating to Him on the basis of our performance and begin to embrace our righteous identity that has been gifted to us by grace.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

"Backsliding." If you've been enjoying the message related to the gospel of grace for a while, you may not have heard the word for a long time. On the other hand, it is probably a regular part of one's vocabulary if surrounded by a legalistic landscape. "Backsliding" will have various implications that are defined very broadly amongst the denominational spectrum. How does a person come to be defined as a "backslidden Christian"? Does it mean a backslider is in God's doghouse? Is divine punishment hanging over their heads waiting to fall? Could it possibly mean one is in danger of losing their salvation that was found through belief in Christ—apart from works?

Let's look at this from a New Covenant perspective and scratch off one more worry from the legalistic list.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

There are no chapters in the Bible specifically dedicated to the word legalism ... but the concept can be found throughout the pages. In a nutshell, it's the human effort to acquire God's acceptance and approval while being rewarded with eternal life and other blessings. There can be varying degrees of legalism, sometimes mixed with at least trace elements of the gospel of grace. But a little bit of leaven (religious law) will affect the entire lump of dough. Whether it's subtle or overwhelming, grace and law were never meant to be mixed.

How does one escape such a monster of a phony gospel message when it seems to be everywhere in a mixed-covenant culture? What is the cure for such a contagious epidemic? Just reading the Bible won't get it done. It will need to go beyond "solid grace teaching" and contextual understanding from the Bible ... which changes with the weather. It is by revelation from the Spirit of God, who assists in helping to grow in our understanding of grace and the Savior who will not allow us to take any of the credit for what He has done.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

Most church customers who believe in Jesus have been taught they are just sinners (saved by grace) with unclean hearts ... and need to keep seeking a renewed forgiveness from God whenever they fail or fall short. This often becomes a heavily embedded routine that isn't exactly going to strengthen one's true identity as a person who is declared to be righteous and holy, apart from works. It keeps Christians in a state of a sin consciousness—similar to Jewish people under the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant—bringing a continuous reminder of sins day to day and year to year.

The gospel of grace has revealed forgiveness by God has been completed through the blood of Jesus, once for all, and many centuries ago. God remembers sins no more in a new and better covenant. They were taken away! Now we begin to see the inconsistencies of the 'Christian religion' insisting we remind God for personal sins that He said would no longer be remembered.

Christ fulfilled forgiveness forever, having thrown sins as far as the east is from the west. With that in mind, how does one 'kick the habit' of confessing every single wrongful thought or action that they can't possibly keep up with? How does a believer in Christ respond when tempted ... and is it possible to overcome unhelpful habits that are not really a part of who you are in Him? The answer is yes, we are well equipped to receive supernatural assistance.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

One of the biggest struggles for those who have been chained to various types of legalism is the worry that God hasn't forgiven them. Perhaps such a concern is because of something they did or they may have frequently done. It usually results in people feeling as though they need to repeatedly seek more forgiveness from God, over and over again. This leaves people wondering from day to day if they are truly forgiven.

This has similarities to the Jewish people under the obsolete Old Covenant, before the cross and resurrection. They kept offering one bloody animal sacrifice after the other—which only provided a temporary covering or atonement. If a renewed forgiveness by God is still needed whenever one falls short of perfect performance, how is it any different from what the writer of Hebrews calls a new and better covenant? The good news is ... Jesus offered one sacrifice (as opposed to many sacrifices under the law). That is all that was needed. He took sin away, once for all, and ended the sacrificial system forever—which God never desired in the first place.

In this episode we mentioned that we have talked about 1 John 1:9 several times over the years. Here is one episode on that subject in case anyone wants to go back and listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXcCVD5VQws

https://www.growingingrace.org/2024/03/952-fleeing-from-falling-into-forlorn.html

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

We all have different abilities, gifts and talents. Within corporate church systems, some members of the body are recruited or convinced they are 'called' to function in a part of the ministry they are not comfortable with. Others have chastised those who believe or function in a gift they themselves do not operate in and will teach that certain spiritual gifts have become obsolete. This can be the result of misunderstanding or misinterpreting Bible verses ... or can be the product of leftover theology someone shared with them that gets blended into various teaching—whether it is rooted in legalism or grace. Let's encourage one another in love without forcing people to become Christian robots or some type of duplicated cookie cutter from the 'assembly' line. The best way to approach this is to allow God to teach us about love.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

It is difficult to experience the peace of God to the fullest if we're steadily or periodically wondering whether we're in God's will. It becomes even more complicated if we're worried what the negative ramifications might be if we become convinced through external sources that we are "out of God's will."

Christ in you, that is God's will for you, and it is a place of peace and rest. He will be with you every step of the way through the earthly journey and through the many decisions being made over the years. If He impresses something unique upon your heart, you can still make choices. If you decide to go a different direction, God is flexible and has been known to be in the re-routing business ... working things together for good and never leaving you.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

People can go through all kinds of stress and worry while wondering or trying to figure out what God's will is for their life. It can result in this life becoming heavy and hard instead of light and easy.

Sometimes it's just a matter of trusting God to lead and guide. This becomes easier when we can set aside the magnifying glass and begin to see the bigger picture of God's will for your life being Jesus Christ in you. Rest in that and begin to realize how much God cares for you affectionately in every area of your life. You no longer need to fear if you are "in God's will."

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

It has been said that grace can result in a license to sin if it isn't balanced with a message of religious law and works. The concerns that grace alone will cause people to be disobedient and choose a sinful lifestyle is the equivalent of blaming Jesus for the choices people make. Avoiding sin is good advice, we've said this for years. It is grace that teaches us in producing a more fruitful and godly way of life by His Spirit. This is rooted in knowing we have a new heart ... and have *already* been declared righteous, holy, sanctified and perfected in Him.

Not everyone will instantly grasp the freedom they have in grace, and yes, some will choose to follow their own fleshly desires and make poor choices. It can result in hurting ourselves and those around us. But as a new creation in Christ, our heart really doesn't want to run towards sin. As Paul said, all things may be lawful, but not all things will be profitable or beneficial. Thankfully, we can live the life God desires for us in the Spirit, realizing Jesus conquered and took sin away ... and nothing will ever come between us and God. When we catch onto this, it inspires a motivation that religious activity can't match.

--Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7