394. You Are Forgiven

It's done. Complete. The issue of sin coming between us and God has been eternally dealt with... And it was God who dealt with it through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Some will ask God to forgive. His response is that He already has. The sacrifice of Christ occurred once and for all... It did not bring temporary forgiveness. New Covenant scriptures declare we are already forgiven. God has already "reconciled the world to Himself and does not count our sins against us." Why? We've been freed from the law that imputed sin to our account. The sacrifice of Christ took sin away forever. Under the New Covenant God declares that "He will remember our sins and iniquities no more." Now we can live in a relationship of unconditional love instead of in fear and judgment. By faith we trust in what Jesus has already accomplished.

You Are Forgiven (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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393. The Fruit of the Law

Oftentimes Christian believers are taught to abide by old covenant commandments that were handed down to the Jewish people. By trying to keep these rules and commands it actually strengthens sin and reduces the amount of (good) fruit coming forth. The law brought death, guilt, enmity and it was against us. So what happened after Christ came and died? What relationship do we have to these commandments under the new covenant? The focus is no longer on our good works but it's on Christ working through us. He will bear the fruit. Mixing the law into our new life in Him will produce another kind of fruit that we want to avoid.

The Fruit of the Law (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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392. Freed From the Ministry of Death

The ministry of death may sound like an oxymoron, after all, isn't ministry supposed to be about life? Yet Paul used this phrase to describe something that the Jewish people were bound to be under. Was it sin? Animal sacrifices? God's judgment? It may surprise some to find out the "ministry of death" that Paul was referring to is what we know as the 10 commandments. The law of Moses could only produce death. There was no law or commandment that could make us right with God regardless of how hard one tried to keep it. The good news is we have died to the law and are freed from it because of Jesus Christ. We just happen to like good news.

Freed From the Ministry of Death (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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391. Jesus Taught the Law to Show How Impossible It Is

Jesus said He didn't come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. And this is exactly what He did. He taught the law. He directed the people who were under the law (the Jews) to follow the law. His law ministry was directed to people who were under the law. Why did He do this? Jesus was showing those who thought they were following the law that they really fell far short of it.

If you're going to try to justify yourself before God by attempting to follow the standards of His laws, Jesus will show you, as He did various people whom He came across, just how lofty a standard the law really is! We can then either go away sad (like the rich young ruler did) or we can come to the realization that since it's such an unattainable standard, what we really need is the gift of God's righteousness, apart from any of our own attempts at living up to God's lawful standards.

The gospel is not about us establishing righteousness through what we do. But rather it's about God establishing it for us. This is what Jesus attempted to reveal as He spoke to these people prior to the New Covenant.

Jesus Taught the Law to Show How Impossible It Is (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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390. The Sermon On the Mount - Teaching the Impossible

Jesus told His Jewish listeners that their righteousness would need to exceed that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Why? Because they were attempting to establish their own self-righteousness through works of the law. Jesus summed up the entire teaching of the Sermon on the Mount by stating, "So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." If that sounds like a recipe for failure, you're correct. The law demanded the impossible from us - Perfection. But it could not provide it.

The gospel is not about us establishing righteousness through what we do. But rather it's about God establishing it for us. This is what Jesus attempted to reveal as He spoke to these people prior to the New Covenant.

The Sermon On the Mount - Teaching the Impossible (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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389. The Old Covenant Teachings of Jesus

The scriptures state that Jesus was born of a woman under the law. He was ministering to the Jewish people who were also under that same law. Much of what Jesus taught was simply the law revealed and was directed to those people at that time. Remember, Gentiles were never under the Old Covenant law. We attempt to lay a foundation of looking at some of what Jesus said from this perspective. Understanding not just what He was saying but when He said it and who He was talking to will help avoid confusion when it comes to the old and new covenants.

The Old Covenant Teachings of Jesus (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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388. The Sacrifice of Christ: God's Will Fulfilled

Comparing the practice of animal sacrifices to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Looking back at Abraham and the child of promise. Many sacrifices could never take away one sin. One sacrifice took away all sin (once and for all). God never desired burnt offerings. But God prepared a body for the Messiah. Jesus came to do the will of God which was to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

The Sacrifice of Christ: God's Will Fulfilled (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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387. Jesus Came to Die

The death of Jesus Christ was foreordained since the foundation of the world. It was not the result of being betrayed or because law-zealous Pharisees or Pontius Pilate had him killed. He was not murdered. He willingly gave His life for our sins so that we could experience justification by His blood that was shed for all. To understand this demonstration of love brings us to a place of humility and peace. Christ did not die in vain. No law or commandment could bring us righteousness. Only by the blood of His death and suffering could we be perfected.

Jesus Came to Die (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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386. What does "It" Mean? (It Is Finished)

The famous final words of Jesus... It is finished. Let's take a look at what "it" is. What is "it" that Jesus finished that we could not? What is "it" that He completed that we no longer have to attempt to complete? Jesus said that He came down from heaven not to do His own will but the will of the Father who sent Him. Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father and by doing "it." His blood ended the old and brought mankind a new, better and everlasting covenant.

What does "It" Mean? (It Is Finished) (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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385. The Riches of Our Inheritance

We take a look at some of the qualities that we've already inherited. Having been born of the Father and brought into union with Jesus Christ has given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. It's not something we strive to attain but through our inheritance we benefit from the work that God did through Christ. This inheritance means so much more than simply having our sins forgiven!

The Riches of Our Inheritance (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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