1030. Overcoming the Need to Convince Others to Agree With You

This week is a spontaneous conversation we were not planning on doing—as it happened in real time.

There are tons of different church brands out there. Most consider the pages of the Bible as the source for their beliefs. And yet, consider there are millions of different opinions and perspectives that may be very contrary to each other. Even within circles where individuals consider themselves a grace-minded person, it's easy to get caught in the trap of thinking it's our job as Christians to persuade others to believe every wind of Bible doctrine in the same way we do. This is just an indicator that we need human validation while trying to use Bible verses to "prove" our version of the truth.

Anyone can bend biblical passages to their point of view—and can sound convincing—regardless of how accurate they may or may not be. The "I'm right" and "they're wrong" approach may have good intentions but it is not likely to be established or rooted in love and maturity. Growing in grace can help us with this as we lean on God's Spirit for guidance.



   
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645. Summarizing the Scripture (Part 16): Contradictions or Different Covenants?

Why did Jesus sometimes tell Jewish people to keep the commandments and obey the law? How do we reconcile that with writings from the Apostle Paul and others who revealed in Scripture that all people have been freed from that very same law? The contrast is clear, yet it is seldom addressed head-on by Church Incorporated. Religious tradition has adopted most of what Jesus taught as a new Christian teaching, when instead He was frequently ministering the law to people from Israel who were under that law. Gentiles were never under the law of commandments which came through Moses, and in fact, we find in New Testament writings where they (we) were never to be considered under that former ministry. Jesus delivered people from it, and brought them into a New Covenant (Himself), to live within a new life by the ministry of God’s Spirit.



   

186. Religion vs. Relationship - Part 2

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This week it's Part 2 of our chat about how life in Christ is not about religion, but about relationship. We share a short list of some of the BIG differences between religion and real life in Christ! We talk about our futile attempts to keep God pleased with us through "self-imposed religion" and by subjecting ourselves to rules and regulations, as well as focusing on external, outward behavior - all of which is "of no value against the indulgence of the flesh!" Comparing all of this with the freedom and grace that we have in our lives in Christ, which do you want?!