Even in 2015, Christians have to be alert to what some Christian leaders teach. Adding rules to the grace of Jesus, making some rituals a special path to blessings beyond just living faith in Jesus, using Old Testament Law to add to New Testament grace is still alive today and needs to be resisted so we can all walk in the freedom Jesus gives us in the New Covenant
"I am the Bread of Life...I am the light of the world...I am the gate for the sheep...I am the good shepherd...I am the resurrection...I am the true vine...I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the father, but by Me." John 6:35; 8:12; 10:7,11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1
"I am the Bread of Life...I am the light of the world...I am the gate for the sheep...I am the good shepherd...I am the resurrection...I am the true vine...I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the father, but by Me." John 6:35; 8:12; 10:7,11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1
Language : English
Let us all acknowledge that the Church has deviated somewhat from sound doctrine, with the resultant effect on the lives of God’s people.
Many leaders have been influenced by prosperity teachings in recent years, and are seeking to gain for themselves. Others do not realise that the preaching of the Cross is the power of God to bring Christians to spiritual maturity.
It is time to address some key issues directly, so that Christians may realise that the Lord has better things in store for them, so that they can walk in freedom and in victory!
The Purpose of The Church #5 “Evangelism”Rick Peterson
The Purpose of The Church #5 “Evangelism” Jeffery Anselmi http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=60867&Sermon%20The%20Purpose%20of%20The%20Church-%20Evangelism%20by%20Jeffery%20Anselmi
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) presentation on "Works of Mercy," presented by David Jensen at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 26 Jan 2010.
Kleptomaniac: Who's Really Robbing God Anyway Tithing StudyDr. Frank Chase Jr
This book started out as a 117-page power point study. The research for this book became a historical and biblical analysis of modern so-called monetary tithe verses the authentic and approved biblical agricultural and livestock tithe. Journey through the power point presentation and then read more exhaustive 400 page book analysis of tithing system and how it got commuted to cold hard cash. The truth is shocking and will inform you of the truth that was hidden in plain sight. Check out the Tithe No More blog at http://tithenomore.com
Modern approaches to Muslim evangelism include the so called Insider Movement and Common Ground. Both compromise the truth of Christian faith in an attempt to win over Muslim converts. My contention is that one must trust Biblical truth, stand firm in the faith and present the gospel in a clear form to Muslims. Contextualization is fine to make a subject understandable, but the truth of the message must never be compromised. This compromise distorts the faith, undermines the position of true converts, and deprives Muslim converts to Christianity of the truths they need to experience the power of the truly committed Christian life.
What is giving? What is tithing? The answer to that question depends on how you interpret the Bible. In this presentation Dr. Frank Chase Jr discusses the giving practices Hebrew/Jewish perspective. The slides also give reasons why pastors should work a full-time job because Apostle Paul was a tent maker who worked while spreading the Gospel. Many of the historical documents cautioned against gospel workers not to be dependent and to avoid becoming a public charge by making a living at something other than through preaching and teaching the Bible. A man who preaches and refuses to work will often resort to relying on charity by becomming a public charge which Paul frowned upon. In the presentation, you will see a part of my research for my book, Kleptomaniac: Who's Really Robbing God Anyway? I did not actually finish the work because I started writing the book, which is now published. THe book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Book Baby. My website is http://www.fcpublishing.com/about_kleptomaniac
Language : English
Let us all acknowledge that the Church has deviated somewhat from sound doctrine, with the resultant effect on the lives of God’s people.
Many leaders have been influenced by prosperity teachings in recent years, and are seeking to gain for themselves. Others do not realise that the preaching of the Cross is the power of God to bring Christians to spiritual maturity.
It is time to address some key issues directly, so that Christians may realise that the Lord has better things in store for them, so that they can walk in freedom and in victory!
The Purpose of The Church #5 “Evangelism”Rick Peterson
The Purpose of The Church #5 “Evangelism” Jeffery Anselmi http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=60867&Sermon%20The%20Purpose%20of%20The%20Church-%20Evangelism%20by%20Jeffery%20Anselmi
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) presentation on "Works of Mercy," presented by David Jensen at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 26 Jan 2010.
Kleptomaniac: Who's Really Robbing God Anyway Tithing StudyDr. Frank Chase Jr
This book started out as a 117-page power point study. The research for this book became a historical and biblical analysis of modern so-called monetary tithe verses the authentic and approved biblical agricultural and livestock tithe. Journey through the power point presentation and then read more exhaustive 400 page book analysis of tithing system and how it got commuted to cold hard cash. The truth is shocking and will inform you of the truth that was hidden in plain sight. Check out the Tithe No More blog at http://tithenomore.com
Modern approaches to Muslim evangelism include the so called Insider Movement and Common Ground. Both compromise the truth of Christian faith in an attempt to win over Muslim converts. My contention is that one must trust Biblical truth, stand firm in the faith and present the gospel in a clear form to Muslims. Contextualization is fine to make a subject understandable, but the truth of the message must never be compromised. This compromise distorts the faith, undermines the position of true converts, and deprives Muslim converts to Christianity of the truths they need to experience the power of the truly committed Christian life.
What is giving? What is tithing? The answer to that question depends on how you interpret the Bible. In this presentation Dr. Frank Chase Jr discusses the giving practices Hebrew/Jewish perspective. The slides also give reasons why pastors should work a full-time job because Apostle Paul was a tent maker who worked while spreading the Gospel. Many of the historical documents cautioned against gospel workers not to be dependent and to avoid becoming a public charge by making a living at something other than through preaching and teaching the Bible. A man who preaches and refuses to work will often resort to relying on charity by becomming a public charge which Paul frowned upon. In the presentation, you will see a part of my research for my book, Kleptomaniac: Who's Really Robbing God Anyway? I did not actually finish the work because I started writing the book, which is now published. THe book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Book Baby. My website is http://www.fcpublishing.com/about_kleptomaniac
Jesus said we must worship in Spirit and Truth...test your faith here. Those who love and practice lies will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Are you worshipping in truth or a man made lie???
Revelation 22:14-15
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
All Roads Lead To Golgotha
Path of the Cross Shaped Life
1. Damascus Road-Road to Salvation
2. Wilderness Road-Road to being Sanctified and Sent
3. Emmaus Road-Road to Suffering
4. Jericho Road-Road to Service
5. Golgotha Road-Road to Sacrifice
A Passionist reflection on the passage of Paul's letter to the Galatians where he expresses the Freedom from sin that we Christians have through Christ. This reflection also compares Christian Freedom from the American context of Freedom.
This is a study of Jesus being worth the loss of all things. If you lose all but find Christ you have gained. He is the greatest treasure you can ever find, and Paul found Christ and rejoiced.
Jesus was sure, without me you can do nothingGLENN PEASE
This is a study of Jesus being sure in saying, without me you can do nothing. Nothing that matters for eternity can be achieved without Jesus involved.
Jesus was exposing the religious crooksGLENN PEASE
This is a study of Jesus exposing the religious crooks. They figured out a way to rob mothers and fathers by a religious rule, and it was wrong Jesus said for it was God's will that they honor their mother and father.
97 Jesus Used the Word to Correct False TeachingRick Peterson
Adapted from a Jeffery Anselmi sermon series https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/3-jesus-used-the-word-to-correct-false-teaching-jeffery-anselmi-sermon-on-truth-232748?ref=SermonSeriesDetails
Darwin said, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.”
Darwin, C. (1872) Origin of Species, 6th ed. (1988), New York University Press, New York, p. 154.
180 years later, his theory has broken down according to his own criteria! There is ABSOLUTELY NOT ONE TRANSITIONAL FOSSIL BETWEEN KINDS OF ANIMALS. DARWIN'S THEORY IS WRONG!
And his ideas have promoted racism and white supremacy more than any other single person worldwide for the past 150 years! Darwin needs to be Dethroned in our scientific and educational systems.
No one has influenced the entire world with "scientific" support for atheism, eugenics, racism and white supremacy more than Charles Darwin! It's time to dethrone him in science and in education.
Besides, his main ideas on evolution have been proven false: Absolutely no fossils to support gradual evolution between kinds of animals and molecular biology and DNA code science conclusively prove that random chance mutations could never have produced the massive complexity of life we now know exists even in one cell. Please challenge his ideas in your scientific and educational commmuities.
Here is a talk I gave on this recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QRM7mxCVFI&t=706s
I can send you the original as a Powerpoint or Keynote if you ask in the comments.
In fact, it seems like a contradiction, doesn’t it? An oxymoron: Our loving God sees the death of His beloved children as a blessing. I hope I can explain this scriptural truth well enough to convince you that God has good reasons to see our deaths as a good and precious thing.
I can tell you from personal experience and from the Bible that God is the most wonderful, tender-hearted, and kind Father anyone could imagine.
Experiencing the love of God as your Father is the birthright of every born-again Christian!
It will change your life as it has changed mine!
“They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.” Neh. 9:2
Why: The Mosaic Covenant!
“But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—… I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.” Leviticus 26: 40-42
This message is a prophetic word the Lord has given me. Test it.
Jerusalem represents the American Church— all the followers of Jesus
The broken walls of Jerusalem represent the broken moral and spiritual foundations of the Church— broken by many sins in the Church
Through those broken walls, forces of darkness have infiltrated and corrupted the people of God
The book of Nehemiah is a metaphor for how God is rebuilding our spiritual walls and cleansing God’s people in America
God restored Jerusalem in preparation for the coming of Jesus about 450 years later
God is restoring us now in preparation for a huge national and international revival
Video of this message starts at 52:43 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEWhJFNP54
More info on Freemasonry at http://www.dear-mr-mason.com/Main.html
3:32 / 13:36 Unforgiveness: One of the most Dangerous Sins a Christiain Can ...Abundant Life Fellowship
The sternest, most dramatic warnings against sin by Jesus are in Matthew 6 & 18. It is the sins of unforgiveness!
Protect yourself and your loved ones from this toxic sin!
Learn about the dangers of unforgiveness now. The world is turning against Christians more and more. Be prepared to be offended. Be ready to forgive and to return good for evil. We must! Jesus demands it. It's for our protection. Unforgiveness is a great danger.
Here's why followers of Jesus can have a confidence that is strong, consistent and holy no matter what happens to them in this life.
Video of the slides and a short video illustration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoxEVilDXfU
A message most Christians will not hear often. Some will never hear this in a church today. But persecution is coming to America—ready or not! Jesus promises us persecution. the Bible is full of examples and teaching on our call to suffer as followers of God.
Every person is made for heaven. Heaven is the home of every follower of Jesus. We are aliens here on earth. Jesus came to bring us home to heaven. What is heaven like? What can we expect there? These and other questions are addressed in this message. Live for heaven, Christian! You are headed home to heaven someday, maybe sooner than you think.
The word "God" is used about 4500 times in the Bible. In 99.9% of the time, God refers to the Father. Read these scriptures where the word 'Father' is substituted for 'God' and get a better appreciation for the loving, gentle, Father Every Christian has through faith in Jesus.
Jesus was sent by the Father to bring us back to Him. God wants a close, "Abba" daddy relationship with us like He had with Adam and Eve in the garden. They walked together int he cool of the day—as a close family of a Father and His children.
God wants all of His children to have that kind of relationship with Him. That's why He sent Jesus!
We were created to become children of God, joint-heirs of Jesus who will rule and reign with Him in heaven. Salvation through Jesus is all of that! Get to know Jesus! Glory God no with your lives and prepare yourselves to rule with Jesus forever in heaven!! Don't waste your life just living for earthly things. Prepare for eternity by loving, enjoying and obeying Jesus NOW!
Video of this message slides here: https://youtu.be/UBfoya4FR44
This is a message of comfort. God has BIG plans for all Christians when they get to heaven. He will glorify us in ways we cannot imagine. Look at the biblical proof that God has always planned to do this for all His adopted children who come to Him through faith in Jesus!
Go here to see my comments about how this teaching differs from Mormon false teachings about God and heaven. https://www.alf.church/called-to-be-glorified/
So why do I feel that this message about being adopted by God is so foundational to the normal Christian life?
Because Jesus came to bring us back to the Father. Jesus came to show us the Father. If you’re a Christian and you don’t know the Father, you’re missing one of the main reasons that Jesus came to earth. His death on the cross was just the means to enable us to know the Father and be the adopted as his children.
Video of this message at https://tinyurl.com/yar3t5j4
The Bible and experience confirms that our personalities, values, identity and conscience are largely formed by the family that raised us. We get "spiritual DNA" from our parents and ancestors that can be good and bad. Sin patterns, dysfunctional relationship patterns and coping mechanisms run in families. This is an intro to a huge and important topic that probably should be a series. This is a topic that can open up thinking and family discussions that could help heal and protect your family. This is not a topic most churches talk about but one they need to address due to the increases of sin and dysfunction in American families today.
This is just a short message on the necessity of hearing God's voice for every Christian. God speaks to His children for the same reasons we parents speak to our children: to know who we are, Whose we are and how to live well.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
How to Create Map Views in the Odoo 17 ERPCeline George
The map views are useful for providing a geographical representation of data. They allow users to visualize and analyze the data in a more intuitive manner.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
MARUTI SUZUKI- A Successful Joint Venture in India.pptx
Legalism Vs Jesus
1. Gal. 3:1-6
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes
Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one
thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by
believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means
of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I
ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by
the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also
Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Paul is addressing legalism in the Galatian Church.Legalism is a
“gospel plus” distortion and deviation of Christianity that is
difficult to disprove as it is usually mixed with sound evangelical
doctrine. Legalism, which teaches that a person’s justification [being
made right with God] and/or sanctification [becoming holy like Jesus]
depends upon a person’s efforts and obedience to church rules, is
an enemy of the gospel of grace.
Legalism is one of the favorite weapons of the enemy. He loves to
get Christians to be legalistic, for then he has destroyed their enjoyment of
the Spirit and ruin a vital, active, and growing Christian group.
That is exactly what happened in Galatia, and is what drew forth the this
scathing letter to the Galatians from the Apostle Paul. Legalism
destroys the freedom Jesus died to give us with our life in the Holy
Spirit! Legalism denies the all-sufficiency of the grace of Jesus for us.
Legalism says we need to add something to what Jesus did to be
right with God and to receive God’s blessings.
Galatians: Freedom of the Spirit Vs. Bondage of Human Laws
Galatians is about legalism versus Jesus, law versus grace.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do
not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal 5:1)
Jesus came to set the captives free from sin, death, the devil and the
curse of breaking the OT law.
2. Jews and Gentiles were set free to enjoy the salvation and blessings of God
as free gifts by God’s grace. No one needed to earn salvation or
sanctification. The grace of Jesus working in us would provide
both salvation and sanctification as we walked daily with God in
humble, child-like dependance on Him for all our needs by he
leading of the Holy Spirit in us.
“But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had
sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus,
in order to bring us into bondage.” (Gal. 2:4)
In every age, followers of God have struggled with what we will call legalism
and legalism’s child, works righteous. Both tempt people to a human
rule or ritual as an addition to or substitute for a living relationship
with the most relational Being in the universe: God! God hates such
practices.
Church and individual have frequently repeated the foolishness of the
Galatians. In all our Christian activities, it is easy for us to miss what
matters most to God, love for God and love for our neighbor
(Matthew 22: 37-40)
In every culture, the gospel will be clothed with some cultural
traditions. Whether we like it or not, we all depend to some extent on
Christian tradition. The problem seems to be that we do not realize this
reliance. Consequently, there is the ever-present danger that what
some call “principles”, or “essentials of the faith”, or “dogma”,
become legalistic rules and the basis of a performance-based
false Christianity.
This weakness in our human nature is why there have been several
movements in Christianity over the centuries that have put believers in
much unbiblical bondage: legalistic rules about clothes, makeup, food,
drink, sex, gender, forms of prayer, ways to do baptism, ways to hold
services, etc.
There are Christian or pseudo-Christian groups today that have what I
would call legalistic rules: no use of musical instruments in services,
women must wear head coverings, women cannot speak in church, spiritual
3. leaders cannot marry a wife, missing a Sunday service is a serious sin,
drinking any alcohol is a sin, etc. Some people want to have lots of
rules and they become vulnerable to cults--like Jim Jones, JW’s
and Mormons.
1955: Miss Sunday church and go to hell if not confessed to a priest before
you die. Still valid today!
Quakers: Must quake. Shakers must shake ( and not marry). “Weepers” &
Shouters in China churches.
Go online and find recovery groups for several legalistic religious groups,
mostly cults.
There is a persistent tendency in the human race to systematize
everything, including relationships.
Humans want to organize our information, derive principles and
implement those principles to control our environment and lives,
including the relationships we have. Fundamentally, people want to
control as much as we can, including our relationship to God.
William Barclay explains:
There are churches which are more concerned with correct ritual than they
are with living vitality. A church is in danger of death when it loves
systems more than it loves Jesus Christ. The more control we
have, the safer we feel and the more personal pride we derive from
being in control to some degree.
Anything that makes us feel out of control or makes us feel too dependent,
too humble will be resisted to some extent. Adam & Eve proved that
was true--along with most of their descendants since then. They had
everything--beautiful, healthy bodies, no taxes, no lawn to mow, no
mortgage, no diseases, no biting insects or animals to fend off, no hunger or
thirst. They lived in Paradise, took daily strolls with God through a
beautiful garden...and yet, they still wanted more control over their
lives. God had given them only one law...and they broke it!
So, when Jesus tells us that we must become like little children to get
into the Kingdom of God, People tend to resist living like very dependent,
4. vulnerable little children before God who promises to provide everything
for His children if they will just trust Him.
People prefer to have some control over our relationship to God. We seem
to be uncomfortable losing our adult control of ourselves and our
adult pride as adults who have some power to do earn what we
get from God. Being little children is too humbling and too passive for us.
We more more control of what happens in our relationship with God.
So, when God says we can be saved only by receiving the free,
undeserved grace that can come to us through Jesus, we can feel
nervous and uncomfortable since that free grace takes away our
ability to control or earn it--both of which we normally prefer.
This is our sin nature, our “flesh” that the NT talks about that fights our
spirit’s desire to live in complete dependence on God as little children.
God says, “Jesus has done all we need on the cross to be saved and
to live a righteous life before God. The grace of the Lord Jesus is
sufficient for all of life on earth and in heaven. Period!” Deep down,
many people do not like that arrangement.
In different ways, we try to add to the “finished work” of the cross. We
want Jesus + something we do--some ritual, some religious
activity, some rule, pattern, system or habit that we do that we
think will improve on or insure the blessings Jesus won for us on
Calvary.
Jesus emphasized that human tradition can never have the same
authority as the Word of God. He forced people to look beyond the
cultural and the traditional to find the essential core of God’s Word. The
apostle Paul said to the Galatians that fellowship with God is a trust in
Christ that works through love: “The only thing that counts is faith
expressing itself through love.”(5:6) Extra biblical rules may seem
spiritual, even helpful and necessary, but given too much emphasis
become death to life in the Spirit, and to the individual freedom to
which God has called us in Christ.
For the Christian, obedience is to the indwelling Holy Spirit, not
to the letter of the law, or religious rules. As Paul has it,“Not of the
5. letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2
Corinthians 3:
The Main Issue Is A Heart Changed By God’s Grace.)
Given that human nature is basically the same in every generation, all
Christians should beware of replacing inner spiritual reality with
outward religious ritual.
The danger with all religious rituals and institutions is that they
often acquire a life of their own. Whereas once they blessed
people, later they oppress people. What for one generation may be a
test of truth and a means of blessing may become an idol and a hindrance
to another generation.
Jesus & Paul were not necessarily against traditional religious and cultural
practices. They both respected their own Jewish culture. But they both
opposed confusing religious traditions with God’s NT Word and making
them compulsory for NT believers.
For example, in the OT God commanded Moses to make a bronze figure of
a snake and set it on a pole, so that anyone bitten by a snake need only look
at the bronze serpent and he would live (Numbers 21:4-9; ). Centuries
later King Hezekiah of Judah destroyed the bronze serpent because the
people had made it an idol (Nehushtan) and gave it superstitious respect (2
Kings 18:4).
Judaizers
Paul fought this Spirit-filled Jewish Christian group tooth and nail.
They demanded that Gentile Christians observe the Law of Moses,
including ritual observances such as special days, kosher foods and
especially circumcision. The influence of this group was evident in the
churches of Galatia, (Galatians 5:11-12; 6:13), Philippi (Philippians 3:2-3)
and Colosse (Colossians 2:16-17). In effect the Judaizers, or “those who
belonged to the circumcision group” (Galatians 2:12), required a Gentile
to become a Jew before he could become a Christian, whereas Paul
argued that salvation was based on faith in Christ alone.
Today, some people believe that practicing Jewish rituals, traditions or
celebrating Jewish holidays will win them blessings and favor with God.
6. There is nothing in the NT to suggest that. In fact, the opposite is
taught by Paul:
“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we
may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer
under a tutor.” ( GAL. 3:24-25)
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with
regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath
day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality,
however, is found in Christ.” ( COL. 2:16-17)
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ.” ( JOHN 1:17)
According to the Bible, the law was given to show us that we are
sinful ( Romans 5:20; 7:7; 3:20, Gal 3:23-25). But the grace of God was
given to turn us to God (Ephesians 2:8-10).
GRACE
Grace doesn’t make demands. It just gives.
And from our vantage point, it always gives to the wrong person. We see
this over and over again in the Gospels: Jesus is always giving to the wrong
people—prostitutes, tax collectors, half-breeds. The most extravagant
sinners of Jesus’s day receive his most compassionate welcome.
Grace is recklessly generous. It doesn’t use sticks, carrots, or time
cards. It doesn’t keep score.
As Robert Capon puts it, “Grace works without requiring anything
on our part. It’s not expensive. It’s not even cheap. It’s free.”
It refuses to be controlled by our innate sense of fairness, reciprocity, and
evenhandedness. It defies logic. It has nothing to do with earning,
merit, or deservedness. It is opposed to what is owed. It doesn’t
expect a return on investments. It is a liberating contradiction between
what we deserve and what we get.
7. Grace is unconditional acceptance given to an undeserving
person by an unobligated giver.
It is one-way love. “God will not love you any more in 500 years
than He does now.”
Do not strive to earn God’s favor but live to please Him as a way
of saying thank you to HIm for the unlimited favor He has
already given you.
"Grace is the empowering Presence of God enabling you to be who He
created you to be, and to do what He has called you to do."
Bill Gothard has suggested "Grace gives us the desire and the power that
God gives us to do his will."
“...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His
good pleasure” ( PHIL 2:13)
PAUL ADMITTED THIS OF HIMSELF:
“For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am
what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored
even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. ( 1
COR 15:9-10)
Therefore, in the New Testament:
GRACE REPLACES LAW
INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD REPLACES RITUAL
FREEDOM IN THE SPIRIT REPLACES THE BONDAGE OF THE LAW
THE REALITY OF JESUS & INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT THE TYPES
AND SHADOWS OF OT RULES AND RITUALS.
QUESTION: Ask God what, if anything, are you doing that is not of grace
but it rather of works, of legalism to earn God’s favor in any way.