This week is a spontaneous conversation we were not planning on doing—as it happened in real time.

There are tons of different church brands out there. Most consider the pages of the Bible as the source for their beliefs. And yet, consider there are millions of different opinions and perspectives that may be very contrary to each other. Even within circles where individuals consider themselves a grace-minded person, it's easy to get caught in the trap of thinking it's our job as Christians to persuade others to believe every wind of Bible doctrine in the same way we do. This is just an indicator that we need human validation while trying to use Bible verses to "prove" our version of the truth.

Anyone can bend biblical passages to their point of view—and can sound convincing—regardless of how accurate they may or may not be. The "I'm right" and "they're wrong" approach may have good intentions but it is not likely to be established or rooted in love and maturity. Growing in grace can help us with this as we lean on God's Spirit for guidance.

 

 

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"Working for God" is a theme that gets tossed around in the religious world. The memo suggests that too much grace will throw things out of balance and will deceive people. You may have even heard some say grace is dangerous.

Experiencing God's grace, peace and rest doesn't mean people should be encouraged to do nothing while their earthly life passes them by. The Apostle Paul said this: "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Paul wasn't boasting in himself that he worked harder than the other apostles. He plainly states he isn't the one doing the work ... but God working through him and with him. In Christ, we cease from our works as God did from His. There is no need to "repent" from bad behavior in order to be considered worthy. It is by the blood of Jesus we've been forgiven, saved and declared right with God. Living by the grace of God can help people to follow their heart freely, knowing it is God who is their life source.

 

 

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If repenting is required in order to be saved, justified and sanctified, it might be good to know exactly what it means. How is it defined? Well, that will depend on which church brand you do business with. Some will tell you one thing while others communicate something quite different. But most will be quite vague and not very specific. If repentance is based on a change of behavior, how does one know when they have fully succeeded? Does one "repent" before or after believing in Jesus?

When Jesus arrived on the ministry scene, He told some Jewish people to repent and believe the gospel. Repent from what? These folks were attempting to live by the ultimate blueprint when it came to behavior and works (the Mosaic law). To repent means to have a change of mind, nothing more. Jesus is announcing they should reconsider that path and look to some good news they would ultimately find in Him. And what is that? An eternal redemption providing God's righteousness as a gift, bringing an inheritance leading them to a place of perfection—apart from what they do.

 

 

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What is the first thing you think of when you hear the words repent, repenting, and repentance? When someone from ChurchLand says people need to repent, they are usually communicating that the person who sins needs to stop sinning. But the messenger stating this hasn't stopped ... in spite of whatever sin reduction they may boast. So where does that leave them if God requires humans to stop committing sinful actions? Of course, a change in behavior and avoiding sin is going to be beneficial in multiple ways. But repentance goes much deeper than that. New Covenant repentance simply means to have a change of mind or to think differently (than we previously thought).

In addition, we who have crossed over from legalistic mindsets into a better understanding of the gospel of grace may have a hard time changing our minds about various doctrinal beliefs about the Bible or what it contains. Sure, it was easy to declare we moved from works to faith and from religious law to grace. But when we've been teaching or proclaiming things for a while under the banner of "grace people," it's easier for some to double-down rather than to allow God's Spirit to reveal new perspectives that we previously missed. We'll never stop learning ... and it will free us from feeling the need to be right all the time.

 

 

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Once upon a time there was a covenant made between God and the nation of Israel. It was based upon a law of hearing it and doing it. The ultimate goal was to be a doer of that word of law as they pursued right standing with God. In spite of how many may have thought they were performing as required, nobody could actually do it.

About 1,500 years later, the fulfillment of that law arrived in the form of a Person who came to provide a new and better option to completely replace the old one. This covenant would be established between Him and God the Father, available for the entire world, based not on doing— but through faith and believing.

The difference between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith is infinite and eternal. It is important we don't confuse the two or blend them together. Our boasting is in Jesus and His doing.

 

 

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Overheard inside a church building near you:

"The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin."

"Sin separates us from God."

"Sin will hinder our fellowship with God."

What if none of these things are accurate? Would it positively change how you see God in your daily life? What if the blood of Jesus was stronger than sin ... stronger than your fleshly works ... would it bring an indescribable peace that surpasses your understanding?

Sometimes it's difficult to get the right answers without asking the right questions. Here is one example: Why would God repeatedly convict you or remind you—as a believer in Christ—of something that He declared He would no longer remember inside of a new and better covenant? This would only result in the same sin consciousness that the Jewish people were delivered from within a sacrificial system that brought a constant reminder of sins.

Religious legalists will indirectly declare the work of the cross as insufficient and are forced into the dubious position of trusting in themselves. God's Spirit is there to convict/remind you of His righteousness and bears witness that sins were removed and taken away, once for all. His desire is to cleanse our conscience from dead works to experience an inheritance of eternal redemption ... through a new and living way.

 

 

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The practice of inviting God into our presence may be something many of us have done and may still do without stopping to think much about it. There are various phrases used when the invitation is extended but they all pretty much imply that God isn't with us, and we would like Him to show up and make some sort of appearance.

God never leaves you. He doesn't come and go. The "worship" environment we try to create within our surroundings has nothing to do with it. Prayer is not meant to be a monologue, nor should it be like trying to leave a heavenly voicemail. He doesn't need to send an RSVP to our invitation because He has invited us into His presence. His favorite thing to do is hang out with His children—at all times—while guiding us into the truth of Jesus and bringing comfort, peace, and joy.

 

 

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Behavior improvement is a great thing. It can be profitable in multiple ways for yourself and those around you. Avoiding sinful options is always good advice. But our conduct and good works should not be considered as our testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. To do so is boasting in the flesh with an attitude of self-righteousness. It proudly screams, "Look at me!"

Paul said if anyone thought they might have confidence in the flesh (of doing), he could surpass it even more. He wrote to the Philippians with an entirely different approach as one who does not have confidence in the flesh but rather, worships God in Spirit. He had a resume that was unmatched in being a keeper of the Mosaic law and the misguided righteousness found within it. But he counted it all as loss and nothing more than rubbish ... that was replaced with something better ... and that is Christ.

"And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Philippians 3:9).

The testimony for all of us is not something we perform to be temporarily seen ... but it is the Person of Jesus Christ and the gift of God's righteousness by faith. It's in knowing Him and the power of His resurrection. This only occurs apart from law and works.

 

 

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When Jesus spoke about being His disciple, it contained some pretty overwhelming requirements to even qualify for a shot at the position. It's not unusual to see the world of religion try to "Christianize" something Jesus said that was specifically intended for those to whom He was speaking ... Jewish people who were still under the Mosaic law, before the cross. It meant hating family by comparison, carrying your own cross, and giving up all possessions.

Jesus wasn't speaking to you but was showing would-be followers that they would be unable to cover the cost of what was needed. Only He could carry that cross in order to bring redemption.

Compare the rigorous conditions of being a disciple of Jesus with this:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

Notice the difference between working through your dedication and commitment at trying to become more like Jesus by what you do ... compared to letting Him release you from such a burden.

 

 

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"Discipleship" is often a big theme inside of many church buildings. But when we are told to be disciples, what does it mean? What pops into your mind? What do you need to do to get there? Is it your level of dedication? Your commitment to God? To the church corporation? To unwavering Bible reading and prayer? Maybe you just automatically think of the twelve that followed Jesus ... and that you should do the same and "follow Him."

A disciple is defined as a student or pupil—in other words—someone who learns from another. It was a significant part of the culture in Bible times to become like the teacher. Most who consider themselves disciples today are the result of having learned tenets and dogma from their church denomination (which may or may not have much to do with the gospel).

While growing in the knowledge of the truth and learning more about God and the gospel can be a good thing to do, it does not make you who you are. It may surprise some to find out the word disciple never appears even once in any of the New Testament epistles ... indicating it is not meant to be a part of your identity in Christ.

 

 

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