818. Religious Bondage: Working to Become Who God Has Already Made You to Be

Telling believers they need to change will not be nearly as effective as helping them to understand they have already been changed. Trying to become somebody that you think you are not will become a frustrating, lifelong endeavor which never seems to find the end of the rainbow. On the other hand, once we grow in the understanding of our identity, we can begin to live from who God says we already are as believers “in Christ.”

In this race, we get to start at the finish line, which is a place of rest. Under the Old Covenant, the Jewish people were working at pursuing what they could never attain. Unfortunately, many believers who abide in a new and better covenant are chasing after what has already been given to them.

   
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527. Is the Law An Expression of God's Character?

It has often been taught that the law that came through Moses is an expression of God's character. We frequently begin to assume such phrases are actually found in the Bible. If this is an accurate statement, we should ask the question as to whether God went through a change or if his character went through some sort of transformation. Of course, we know God doesn't change, but with the New Covenant replacing the first one, we find there was a change of priesthood (Jesus Christ) and therefore a change of law occurred. Although the law was a reflection of God's perfection, we should avoid comparing it with God himself and realize it was Jesus (grace) who was manifested as an expression of God's character.



   

494. REPENT!

Those of us proclaiming righteousness based on grace through faith alone are often accused by those in religious circles as diminishing the need to repent. As people of grace, we most certainly believe in repentance, but just exactly what is it? Most will make the assumption it means to change your behavior, turn from sin and improve your moral lifestyle. But the origin of the word goes much deeper than that, and we take a closer look at the foundational meaning of repentance and why it is important.


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464. A Change of Priesthood

The Jewish people received the Old Covenant law through the Levitical priesthood. Because the law made nothing perfect, there was a need for another priest to arise (Jesus). The book of Hebrews explains that where there is a change of priesthood, there is a change of law also. When the religious world attempts to bring back the old commandments and mix them into the New Covenant, they should also be bringing back the old priesthood. Of course, this wouldn't bring perfection, life or forgiveness any more than the commandments themselves. Jesus established a permanent priesthood with something completely new, He took away the first covenant in order to establish the new one.


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439. New & Improved Vs. Recreated

New life in Christ. We've become a brand new creation. What exactly does this mean for us? It's the reality in which we now live. Jesus actually became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. You weren't just changed but rather you were recreated from nothing. The old life has passed away (died). Having passed from death to life, we can now experience freedom the way God meant for it to be.

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438. A Gospel of Change or EXchange?

The great exchange. It may be a phrase you've heard in Christian circles. But it's astonishing to find out how little is known about the exchanged life even by believers in Christ. Religion will gradually attempt to get the focus of the Christian life on you and your efforts for God. But we are reminded throughout scripture that your old life and sinful nature was replaced (exchanged) with His life and a nature of divine righteousness. Often change can be good, but the focus of the gospel for us should not be about our changed behavior, but the reconciliation that came as a gift.

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432. Repenting About Repentance

Repent! Think you know what it means? Think again. Jesus began His ministry by telling the Jewish people to "repent and believe the good news." Who were these folks? They were people under the Old Covenant who constantly worked, struggled and strived to follow hundreds of religious rules and commands on a daily basis. This "old-time religion" where people worked to establish their own righteousness was not good news. Repentance is not an attempt to avoid sin and behave properly, but rather it's a call to think and have a change of mind. A renewing of the mind about God and how He would deal with sin through a new covenant and the blood of His son, Jesus Christ.

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