1038. A Case of Stolen Identity

Our former days from working in radio brings a reminder of something the FCC required at the top of every hour for broadcasters. It's called a "Legal ID," where each station airs their call letters and city of license.

From a Christian spiritual perspective, what would appear on your ID if it were printed out ... similar to a driver’s license or other form of identification? How do you see yourself inwardly? How are you described?

If your identity is based upon what you do, that might fall under the category of a "legalistic ID." Requirements and demands that need to be met in order to become something you think you have not yet attained are just examples of stolen identity that empty religion has tricked us into giving away out of ignorance.

On the other hand, one of the greatest discoveries found in the gospel of grace is coming to realize how God already identifies us in the here and now. Righteous, perfected, blameless, sanctified, and so much more ... and it's not just how "He sees you" but it is who you are as a child who has inherited without trying to do anything to make it happen. We can now live from this "God life" that abides within as God produces it through us.



   
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723. Did Paul Claim He Was Blameless by Keeping the Mosaic Law?

During a recent podcast series about the dangers of mixing law and grace, someone challenged us with a comment that the Apostle Paul stated “he had never committed an offense against the Torah” (law). This is a great example of how context gets lost and contradictions begin to fly—when we zero-in on a single verse from the Bible.

Anyone can make Scripture apply to their own preconceived doctrinal assumptions. We address Paul’s statement about having been found righteous and blameless under the law as he seemingly bragged about his record. He’s actually saying the opposite in this passage (and many others).



   
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471. Stop Trying to Be Like Jesus

In Christ, we have a brand new identity. We're no longer "sinners saved by grace," but we're saints who are fully dependent upon God's grace. We've been made new. We're sanctified, holy, righteous, blameless and complete in Him. And while each of these things is true of every single believer, God has also made each of us as unique individuals.

So this week we talk about how we're not trying to be like each other - and we're also not trying to be like Jesus! Rather, while we are in union with Him, we live our daily lives as the unique individuals He has made us to be. Along with this, we talk about two common words that are often used in the church to describe believers, and yet aren't mentioned in the epistles of Paul, Peter, James and John: "disciples" and "followers" of Jesus. Hmmm!


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160. Convicted of Righteousness

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In Christ, we have a brand new identity. The Bible says that in Christ we've been perfected, and we are holy, righteous and complete in Him. This week Mike and Joel talk about how the unbelieving world had to be convicted of sin (see John 16:8-11, Romans 3:19-20) in order to come to Christ, but now that we're in Christ we're convicted of righteousness - because that's who we are! When we sin, we are simply not being who we (already truly) are, and the more we're convinced, and convicted, of our true identity as the righteousness of God, the more we'll live as who we really are. All of this is based upon the finished work of Jesus and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's all Him, not us!