319. The Moral Code Has Been Wiped Out

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Religionists will argue that without a moral compass such as the 10 Commandments, people will run amuck and be led astray into a life of immorality and ungodliness. The problem that still exists with this line of thinking is that no law can make us right with God... not one. As Paul said in Galatians, if there were a law (a work to perform) that could have made us righteous then one would have been given. So why would anyone want to live under a system of rules that is guaranteed to fail and bring guilt and condemnation? Why try to abide by something that is opposed to you?

There is one way to connect with the living God and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ. So how should we approach the Christian life if there are no rules for people to follow? How are we supposed to live without written commands? After all, the Bible is clear they were taken out of the way and nailed to the cross. The answer doesn't lie so much in the "how" but rather the "Who."

Here's this week's GIG-Bite, a quick sample of this week's program.

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318. Does Grace Empower Us to Live by The Law of Moses?

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Now that we've experienced God's grace in our lives, does this mean we have been empowered to live-out the commandments of the Old Testament law? Did the Lord intend for us to keep the Law's commands by His grace or did something else occur through the finished work of Christ? What is the difference between the moral laws such as the 10 Commandments compared to sacrificing animals or following strict dietary rules?

We discuss some specifics of what the Law is, why it was given and whether it still has a place in the life of a believer.

Here's this week's GIG-Bite, a quick sample of this week's program.

"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
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Jim Robbins Interviews Andrew Farley ("God Without Religion")

Just wanted to alert Growing in Grace listeners to a series of three great podcasts from Jim Robbins, as he interviewed Andrew Farley (author of The Naked Gospel and God Without Religion).

All three parts of the interview can be found here.  You can listen/download the mp3's directly from Jim's podcast page or via iTunes.

317. Unbelievers: Are They Rejecting God or Is It the Wrong Message?

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We all know people who have refused to embrace the Gospel, chosen to ignore it's message or not to believe. But our discussion this week examines the likelihood that many of these so-called unbelievers haven't necessarily rejected the true Gospel but rather a message that wasn't really the Gospel at all. They haven't believed the Good News because they haven't heard what it really is. They may have a negative view of God because of misinformation.

So what is the true Gospel message? We think once most people begin to understand the answer to this question without it being tainted by religion and a confusing old covenant mixture they will respond to the Lord with belief and thanksgiving. Knowing that God is good, that He accepts them and is not against them will bring a change of mind. People simply need to hear the message of unconditional love and that it has already been demonstrated to them by God Himself. We don't have to shoot the messenger, but the message on the other hand...

Here's this week's GIG-Bite, a quick sample of this week's program.

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316. What Must I Do to Be Saved?

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A question many have asked for centuries. Church denominations and various religions around the world have sometimes complicated a very simple answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?"

Of course the answer is simply to "believe on the Lord Jesus."

What does it mean to believe? How do I know I really believe? Have you ever wondered if you have enough faith to believe? The good news is belief is a gift that God has been made available to everyone. Belief is not something you "try" hard to do.

This week we focus on belief and faith and how anyone can trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Here's this week's GIG-Bite, a quick sample of this week's program.

"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
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315. A Discussion of Hell

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Recently the subject of hell has caused quite a bit of discussion and even controversy amongst believers because of new books on the market. Of course this subject is nothing new and it has provided many different points of view for as long as man can remember.

So this week we try to provide some perspective. It is not our intention on this podcast to declare our opinions about hell but rather to address how we as believers should approach topics that may be controversial or may have a wide variety of opinions.

Well meaning believers sometimes can't find common ground even on subjects as substantial as hell. The truth is there are quite a few things in scripture that we just don't fully understand and may not be able to come to a definitive conclusion. We just aren't going to know for sure what all the answers are regarding certain things. That doesn't mean we can't formulate opinions or beliefs based on what we see in scripture, but how should we react to one another when we have a different point of view or belief?

Here's this week's GIG-Bite, a quick sample of this week's program.

"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
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314. Paul Addressing Sin in the Church

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We're shifting gears just a bit this week, taking just a few minutes to discuss something that our Growing in Grace podcast doesn't normally focus on. As we all know, Paul talked in depth about how our sin has been completely forgiven and taken away through Christ and how we've become the righteousness of God in Christ through nothing less than a free gift from God. That's normally our focus here, as well as our new identity that we have in Christ.

But Paul also addressed other things as well, and one of the issues that he addressed from time to time was the issue of sinful behavior in the church. As people who love and stand deeply rooted in God's love and grace, we need not shy away from looking into the question of how to deal with things when the way we live doesn't line up with our new identity in Christ. In particular this week, we look into an extreme example that Paul dealt with in the Corinthian church - a matter of sexual immorality.

There is no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus, so listen in as we look at the good news in regards to this issue that much of the church tends to deal with in a legalistic sense and doesn't normally seem to connect with good news!

Here's this week's GIG-Bite, a quick sample of this week's program.

"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
(This is an easy way to listen and to share the podcast with others on Facebook, your blog and other sites.)