Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" After they answered, He then asked, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter spoke up and said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus declared that Peter was blessed because flesh and blood had not revealed this to him, but it came from the Father in heaven.
Peter probably wasn't even aware of his source at the time ... but he didn't hear it from another human who was trying to recruit him as a convert or a visitor for the Sunday School class. This wasn't a "one and done" where Peter would be the only person to receive such a revelation. God desires to reveal so much to us by His Spirit who now abides in the hearts of believers in Christ ... and it may be happening much more than we realize. But it all begins with not just having knowledge about Jesus, but knowing Him. It goes beyond a philosophical or intellectual belief.
Following up on last week’s program about feeling the need to ask God’s Spirit to show up or inviting God’s presence into our midst …
This practice misses the understanding that He never leaves as He continuously abides in us. This is different than the Old Covenant. Under the New Covenant, the Spirit may manifest with special gifts as He wills through an anointing that already abides in us.
But there is nothing we can do to create an atmosphere that is more inviting in order to get God to respond with an RSVP to our invitation—because it’s not about what we do … He has chosen to be with us and in us by grace.
It’s commonplace within a gathering of believers to invite God into our presence or seek some sort of special visitation from His Spirit. As we gain a more complete knowledge of the truth, we discover there is good news on this subject: He never leaves us! He doesn’t depart, withdraw or spontaneously come and go.
In fact, we were invited into His presence and He is there to comfort and bear witness of Jesus in whom we abide. He began a good work in us and He will be faithful to complete it.
“The law is not of faith.” This word from Paul is a central theme throughout the book of Galatians. It needs to be kept in mind as we look through the letter, including chapter 5 as the apostle compares the Spirit to the flesh. Believers in Christ who had been freed from the law are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Romans 8:9). Although we can be tempted with the works of the flesh that Paul lists in Galatians 5, it is those who are of the flesh that will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (unbelievers). They are stuck in “works” mode… which may appear as sinful and at other times it may appear as Godly. This is not a passage on living “good enough” to inherit eternal life. We’ve all continued to struggle with being perfect… we still may have moments of anger, quarrels, jealousy, impure thoughts, etc. Fear not! God is always with you and He desires to be our helper during those times.
The Galatians were earlier accused of having fallen from grace because they were trying to be perfected by the law of works (Galatians 3:3 & 5:4). As children of God, we receive an inheritance as a gift because we are an heir, not because we are living in a way that is going to be considered morally acceptable. This is not to diminish or disregard the importance of behavior - Paul’s exhortation is for us who are in Christ to behave in a way that reflects the true righteous nature of who we’ve been born to be in Christ. This is not accomplished by our empty efforts of trying to produce our own fruit, but by the Holy Spirit within us. Now we can bear His fruit, apart from the law of works.
In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul stated “the law is not of faith.” We’ve progressed to Galatians chapter 5, where the apostle attempts to encourage these people to avoid the pitfall of going from the freedom of grace back into the law of works. They had been bewitched and deceived into another gospel that really wasn’t the gospel at all. If they were going to choose the system of written commandments (such as circumcision), they would be obligated to keep the entire law - all 613 commands. Those who were attempting to be justified by law (works) had fallen from grace. Paul went on to admonish not to use their freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. So how does one walk in the Spirit and avoid the desire of the flesh? It’s done apart from the law of works and it’s rooted in the perfect love of God which was manifested through Jesus Christ… this is where we abide as believers inside of a New Covenant.
Best-selling author and speaker Dr. Andrew Farley joins us for the third and final week, discussing who you are in Christ. We often hear about how Jesus died for us, but it seems we seldom hear about how we also died with Him. We are spiritual beings who also have a soul and a body. We had a heart transplant, having been made brand new through birth. Although there is a growth process with the renewing of the mind and behavioral changes, this is not to be confused with how you are identified as a new creation. Andrew also address the question about whether or not we possess two natures.
Much has been said about accepting Jesus Christ into our lives, yet the gospel declares that He has accepted you into His life. Our past life does not exist before God because that person died at the cross with Christ. The pure nature of grace that brought salvation apart from works is often frowned upon by those who can't pull away from the magnet of self-righteousness. Why? They stumble over the idea that grace is sovereign. Grace has no fulfilled conditions on man's part to wait for and it can and often does place the worst deservers in the highest favors.
God has blessed us beyond measure with His grace, and He Himself has made us worthy and accepted by Him. When it comes to living in this grace, rather than asking God to "bless our efforts," we trust instead that God does it all (it's His work that He does in us) and He willingly and gladly invites us to come along with Him and take part in what He's doing! Knowing that God's grace is completely underserved by us, and that we can't do anything to make ourselves worthy of it, really does bring about a sense of restful humility.
What was the reason for God to give you His Spirit? "We have been given the Spirit who is from God so that we may know and understand the things freely given to us by God." (I Cor 2:12). No requirements, promises or obligations to fulfill. His extension of unconditional grace towards us originates from His nature of love. Grace is uncaused by us as recipients. The act of grace in our lives is rooted completely on the one who gave it, not on the receiver.
Regardless of whatever struggles you've had physically, with the body or even the mind, the scriptures declare as believers in Christ we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. That doesn't mean we won't be challenged with opportunities to do wrong. But we're under grace and not works of the law. The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death. God has equipped us with His Spirit. Stop trying to battle the flesh and allow Him to do it for you.
Following-up on our last program where Kap shared some of his story, this week Joel shares some of his life and background that led him to the land of unlimited grace.
Sometimes listeners to our podcast will ask about our background and how we came into the grace of the gospel. This week Kap shares some of the things in his life that led him to a fresh understanding of what the good news is all about.
Why would anyone choose to reject the free gift of life through Jesus Christ? There could be any number of reason and we take a look at a few possibilities. Usually it's because they simply haven't really understood the gospel. Perhaps they've heard the wrong message or jumped to the wrong conclusions. They may have pictured God in their minds in a way that is far from what He is really like. The reasons to believe will trump the reasons not to once an individual hears the truth.
The Apostle Peter encouraged believers to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we think of growing in grace, what will usually come to mind? Improving or modifying our behavior? Trying to do more for God? Working harder and hoping our efforts will be acceptable to Him? Praying and studying the Bible more? Perhaps it's much less complicated. Maybe it's more about rest. After all, grace and righteousness came to us apart from works.
When God gave mankind the gift of Himself, He provided us with something that would leave us in a place where He would never have to give again. Why? Because He gave the maximum. He gave all that could be given. He would enter the world Himself to bridge the former separation, to bring peace between us and Him and to wipe out judgment, fear and condemnation. What was His motivation for such a gift while expecting nothing in return? That's what our conversation centers around this week.
Peace is a word that gets thrown around a lot. Quite often when peace is discussed it is something that is phony, imagined or temporary. Peace between men, nations and even in our own mind usually seems to turn into something that is elusive or uncertain. So how can we experience real peace? It starts with understanding one of the most important declarations in the Bible which came prior to Christ's birth. Peace that the world offers will fail. But the peace that comes from God Himself is something constant that we can all enjoy... all the time.
The basis of the Christian life is not to attempt to live by Christian morals but rather we live by the very life of Christ. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, man entered the era of works. He would now determine good and evil on the basis of performance. God's life and grace in us can produce good works. But trying to focus on avoiding evil and doing good because we think we have an obligation to do so will only result in frustration, guilt and condemnation. There are two trees to choose from. Abide in the Tree of Life (Jesus).
Something the religious world doesn't teach very often is that the law of Moses with its commandments actually was given to increase sin, not decrease it. The animal sacrifices under that law brought a reminder of sin and guilt. One of the beautiful things about Jesus and His (one) sacrifice is that it had the power to not only provide complete removal and forgiveness for all sin, but that it could remove the consciousness of sin. We can now live in a state of righteousness without the burden or fear of sin ever coming between us and God again.
