417. From Rules to Grace

Morality. Behavior improvement. Trying harder to live right. Following Christian rules. Don't touch. Don't taste. Don't handle. Followed by failure, self-condemnation and starting over by trying harder the next time only to experience the same results. Doesn't sound like much fun, does it? It doesn't have to be the rules of the old covenant either. Plenty of new rules await to steal your joy. What if we could tell you the Christian life doesn't have to be any of that? Suppose you could live in a state of complete contentment, joy and reassurance without the religious side-effects...

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416. Transitioning From Legalistic Behavior to Belief

For the most part, organized Christianity has placed an emphasis on behavior modification and external change. Those with a legalistic foundation are afraid of grace because they are concerned it will cause disobedience and lead believers to a lifestyle that is controlled by sin. The danger is that when the goal is to achieve personal moral improvement by trying to keep a good works list, then the focus becomes more about "Christian living" rather than Christ Himself. It's actually the commandments of the law that will cause people to run wild. Grace empowers the believer with the very life of the Person of Jesus Christ.

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415. Eternal Life - It's More Than You Think

God has provided us with eternal life in Christ. This is not simply life that lasts forever without end. Eternal life is HIS life in us and it also had no BEGINNING. Your life was replaced with His life and in Him we are brand new creations. This (eternal) life in you provides the power to bear the fruit of the Spirit as He produces it through you.

Performance-based religion will emphasize behavior. It will attempt to put you in a position where the responsibility is on you to live up to a certain moral standard. When compared to the gospel, this is backwards thinking. Relying on your efforts is guaranteed to fall short. Stop trying! Begin to rest in Him and trust His life that is in you.

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414. Does "Selling Jesus" Bring A Great Commission?

"You are My witnesses." Jesus said this to His disciples who had literally walked with Him and saw first-hand what had occurred when He was on earth and in regards to His death and resurrection. Today the church has developed the phrase "witnessing" when it comes to sharing the message of Jesus with others.

Religion has caused many institutional churches to develop marketing methods and gimmicks in the effort to "recruit" new believers. They are then taken through a cloning process called "discipleship" that creates cookie-cutter Christians designed to duplicate. Sharing the gospel shouldn't be about trying to sell Jesus as if He were a product or service for a marketing plan.

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