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As children of God, we "abide" in Christ, just as a branch abides in a vine. God produces His fruit in and through us as we rest in Him. A branch itself doesn't produce fruit. A branch bears the fruit that came from the life of the vine. The life is in the Vine. As branches in the Vine, we can do nothing apart from Christ.
The grace of God - not law or religion - is what motivates us and also enables us to live godly lives. And not only that, but God has given us a brand new nature. This new nature is the essence of who we are. The things that our new nature wants to do are natural expressions of the life of Christ that we've been joined together with.
Some people say that if we remove law, rules, religion, etc, and preach the grace of God, this will cause people to go out and do whatever they want to. Well, in light of all of the above, what do you think? Would this really be a bad thing?? :)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
249. If It's Not About Morality and Religion, Then What?
Download/Play MP3 (14 Min, 6.4MB)
(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)
As we talked about last week, life was never meant to be lived according to what some have called the "religion tree" or the "morality tree" (the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). But if people think life in Christ is based in any way on their morality or performance, they end up resorting back to religion - to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They know no other way to live, than according to their own knowledge of good and evil.
But if life in Christ is not about morality and religion, then what is it about? If it's not about our own pursuit of right and wrong, then how do we know how to live? It involves getting away from the religion and morality tree, and in many ways it begins with understanding our new identity in Christ. We're not trying to become something by maintaining a certain level of performance or morality. Rather, God has already made us righteous and He's already given us a brand new identity that He is already fully pleased with and that He fully accepts! So rather than "doing" in order to try to become what we think God wants us to be, we are meant to rest and relax in who He has already made us to be, and to live from our new identity.
(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)
As we talked about last week, life was never meant to be lived according to what some have called the "religion tree" or the "morality tree" (the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). But if people think life in Christ is based in any way on their morality or performance, they end up resorting back to religion - to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They know no other way to live, than according to their own knowledge of good and evil.
But if life in Christ is not about morality and religion, then what is it about? If it's not about our own pursuit of right and wrong, then how do we know how to live? It involves getting away from the religion and morality tree, and in many ways it begins with understanding our new identity in Christ. We're not trying to become something by maintaining a certain level of performance or morality. Rather, God has already made us righteous and He's already given us a brand new identity that He is already fully pleased with and that He fully accepts! So rather than "doing" in order to try to become what we think God wants us to be, we are meant to rest and relax in who He has already made us to be, and to live from our new identity.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
248. Freedom from the Religion Tree
Download/Play MP3 (15 Min, 6.9MB)
(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)
According to one definition, "religion" means "to bind," as in being bound to a list of obligations. Religion was never meant to be how mankind lived, or how they related to God. Where did religion begin? This week we go back to the Garden of Eden, to the time when Adam and Eve chose "religion" by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Were Adam and Eve pursuing "sin" as we would call it today? Were they pursuing a certain form of "sinful" or "evil" behavior? Actually, the Tree wasn't just an "evil" tree. It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good AND Evil. Their problem wasn't that they were pursuing "sin," but really that they were pursuing a form of godliness!
In the pursuit of the knowledge of good and evil, they were trying to be like God on their own - through their own sense of morality. They were exchanging a free relationship with God for religion. It became bondage for them, rather than providing further freedom. And people still do the same today! We have exchanged the life of freedom in Christ for a life of following moral obligations.
Some have referred to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as the "Morality Tree" or the "Religion Tree." We need to get away from the bondage of this tree - living by our own morality and religion - and get back to the Tree of Life!
(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)
According to one definition, "religion" means "to bind," as in being bound to a list of obligations. Religion was never meant to be how mankind lived, or how they related to God. Where did religion begin? This week we go back to the Garden of Eden, to the time when Adam and Eve chose "religion" by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Were Adam and Eve pursuing "sin" as we would call it today? Were they pursuing a certain form of "sinful" or "evil" behavior? Actually, the Tree wasn't just an "evil" tree. It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good AND Evil. Their problem wasn't that they were pursuing "sin," but really that they were pursuing a form of godliness!
In the pursuit of the knowledge of good and evil, they were trying to be like God on their own - through their own sense of morality. They were exchanging a free relationship with God for religion. It became bondage for them, rather than providing further freedom. And people still do the same today! We have exchanged the life of freedom in Christ for a life of following moral obligations.
Some have referred to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as the "Morality Tree" or the "Religion Tree." We need to get away from the bondage of this tree - living by our own morality and religion - and get back to the Tree of Life!
Friday, July 02, 2010
Mick Mooney - Searching for Grace - Part 4
Download/Play MP3 (31 Min, 14MB)
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In the fourth and final part of my interview with Mick Mooney, creator of the Searching for Grace comic strip, we cover a range of subjects, but stay mostly on the idea of walking by the Spirit and not walking according to religion. Mick says that being under grace is being under the very nature of God. He also talks a bit about the idea of rules and accountability partners vs. walking according to the Spirit of God.
Many today seem to be trying to walk in the Spirit inside the confines of "religion," which is of course something too small for God to fit in! Many try to fit the various aspects of their faith into the things they are doing (programs, institutions, etc), and end up twisting theology to fit their systems.
When the world looks at us, they shouldn't see religion, but rather a genuine expression of the nature of God. Mick goes into all of this and much more this week, so we hope you'll tune in and hear the good things he has to say about living a genuine life in Christ, apart from religion!
Check out the Searching for Grace comic and other things about Mick at searchingforgrace.com.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download)
In the fourth and final part of my interview with Mick Mooney, creator of the Searching for Grace comic strip, we cover a range of subjects, but stay mostly on the idea of walking by the Spirit and not walking according to religion. Mick says that being under grace is being under the very nature of God. He also talks a bit about the idea of rules and accountability partners vs. walking according to the Spirit of God.
Many today seem to be trying to walk in the Spirit inside the confines of "religion," which is of course something too small for God to fit in! Many try to fit the various aspects of their faith into the things they are doing (programs, institutions, etc), and end up twisting theology to fit their systems.
When the world looks at us, they shouldn't see religion, but rather a genuine expression of the nature of God. Mick goes into all of this and much more this week, so we hope you'll tune in and hear the good things he has to say about living a genuine life in Christ, apart from religion!
Check out the Searching for Grace comic and other things about Mick at searchingforgrace.com.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
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