1062. The Burdensome Process of 'Surrendering' Everything to God

Many of the things we've all heard in mixed-covenant church buildings can easily result in leftovers or at least trace elements within our mindsets that we attempt to apply to the message of the gospel of grace. The result becomes a rather murky hodgepodge of inconsistency. It leaves believers in Christ wondering if they they are right with God, resulting in fear, uncertainty ... and pecks away at people who are finding peace to be somewhat elusive in their minds. Of course, most who embrace grace are not intending for this to happen ... but it does ... partly because it may ultimately have similarities to the religious talking points people have been trying to escape.

There are many perspectives, angles, Bible teachings, and opinions that can be quite different—even within circles where grace dominates. But it is not unusual to see some of the messages sliding down a slippery slope which gradually manages to put the spotlight back on us and what we do—and how well we're doing it. Am I doing enough? How do I know? Am I out of touch with God compared to others who seem so spiritual?

The focus of faith should remain on the finished work of Jesus and God's Spirit who was sent to guide us. Your identity of righteousness is contained in Him. When legalistic venues insist on our need to surrender everything to God, it will usually lack specifics on what that looks like. Religion declares we need to put our belief on display for others to see, otherwise, it may indicate something isn't real and genuine. Walking by faith and not by sight is turned completely inside out. God lives in us. He wants to express His life through us. But His fruit should not be considered synonymous with works that are performed in order to get God to respond. His response to you is firmly anchored in a Savior who established a different and much better covenant. No pressure.




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696. The Spirit Vs. the Flesh (Walking in the Spirit)

“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.



   
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522. You Will Know Them By Their Fruits - Know Who?

In the seventh chapter of Matthew, Jesus made the statement, "You will know them by their fruits." We often think this is how we'll know those who are considered to be sincere believers, but the context is being aware of false prophets. They are the ones focusing on establishing themselves with good works, performance and attempting to produce their own fruit. You will know them by their fruits. This is in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit, which is not produced by our good works but rather by God who bears His fruit through us.



   

521. The Fruit of the Spirit, Not the Works of the Law

Although many Christians will work and strive to produce good fruit, sometimes they end up back under a system of works or a modernized version of the Mosaic law. There was fruit involved for those Jewish people who were under the law of works, but it brought fruit for death. In the new covenant of Jesus Christ, we have been freed into the new way of life in the Spirit. Instead of working to produce fruit through our efforts, we simply rest and abide in Christ and the Spirit bears His fruit through us.



   

520. Teaching the Law Results in Fruitless Discussion

The Apostle Paul stated some have strayed from the good things of love, a pure heart and a good conscience, and have turned to fruitless discussion. How? By wanting to be teachers of law. The law from the Old Covenant had a purpose, but it was not meant for the righteous in Christ. It was a tutor to point people to faith and the promise of life found in Jesus Christ. Now that faith has come, the tutor is no longer needed. Instead of abiding in the letter that kills with a creed of "thou shall not," as believers we have the living God within to bear His fruit, against which there is no law.



   

508. The Love Motivation

As we proclaim a message of God's unconditional love and free grace apart from the works of the law and commandments, those bound by legalistic teaching will ask us whether behavior matters. It's hard for them to grasp wanting to do what is right and good apart from rules and regulations. In the same way that God has shown forgiveness and love to us in this New Covenant, as new creations in Christ, we are now empowered to do the same. It's because we're branches, engrafted into the tree of life, bearing his fruit apart from law.



   

431. Devoting Yourself to God?

Sometimes in the effort to demonstrate a love for God, people will feel the need to exercise some sort of outward devotion or dedication. It can involve time and neglect of the body, and lead to false humility. Often the purpose for this is to reassure themselves that they really do have a love for the Lord. It's an effort to show God and others that the "proof is in the pudding."

But like so many other things about the Christian life, we can easily get it backwards. Realizing first that it was God who did the demonstrating of His love for us and has declared devotion to us. Real devotion to God will occur not from our desire to show it but from discovering blessing has been given to us while we were unworthy and void of any devotion. It's simply a willing response to a love without condition.

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406. What is the Flesh? (The Good, the Bad, the Ugly)

When referring to "the flesh" in the Bible the first thing that comes to mind is probably going to be sinful actions. But walking after the flesh can also at times appear outwardly to be very positive spiritually, and even fruitful. We call it religious flesh. We discuss the differences and offer some encouragement on how to avoid falling into it. Whether it appears to be good or bad, walking after the flesh is ugly compared to life in the Spirit.

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393. The Fruit of the Law

Oftentimes Christian believers are taught to abide by old covenant commandments that were handed down to the Jewish people. By trying to keep these rules and commands it actually strengthens sin and reduces the amount of (good) fruit coming forth. The law brought death, guilt, enmity and it was against us. So what happened after Christ came and died? What relationship do we have to these commandments under the new covenant? The focus is no longer on our good works but it's on Christ working through us. He will bear the fruit. Mixing the law into our new life in Him will produce another kind of fruit that we want to avoid.

The Fruit of the Law (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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