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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

612. Brought to an End: The Law (The Ministry of Death and Condemnation)

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Continuing this week in part two of our short series in the 3rd chapter of 2 Corinthians. The ministry of the Mosaic law (including the ten commandments written on stones), is defined by the Apostle Paul as the ministry of death and condemnation. It’s a ministry that once had glory, but now has come to have no glory at all. Why? It’s a glory that was fading from the beginning with Moses, and was replaced with something more permanent and more glorious… the ministry of the Spirit of the living God, now written upon our hearts within a New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. Although Christian “religion” has been built upon combining the Old with the New, the covenant of death and the covenant of life should never be mixed together.



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611. The Letter Kills, The Spirit Gives Life

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It’s an important chapter for Christians to familiarize themselves with: 2 Corinthians Chapter 3. There is a significant contrast that the Apostle Paul presents between the former ministry of the Mosaic law the Jews were under before the cross, and the ministry of the Spirit that we live under the New Covenant. Sadly, many Christians will never hear this exciting news taught in their church. This week, we look at Paul’s introduction from the first part of this chapter, as he explains how the former ministry written with ink and on stones did not bring life, but its ministry was to kill.



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611. The Letter Kills, The Spirit Gives Life

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It’s an important chapter for Christians to familiarize themselves with: 2 Corinthians Chapter 3. There is a significant contrast that the Apostle Paul presents between the former ministry of the Mosaic law the Jews were under before the cross, and the ministry of the Spirit that we live under the New Covenant. Sadly, many Christians will never hear this exciting news taught in their church. This week, we look at Paul’s introduction from the first part of this chapter, as he explains how the former ministry written with ink and on stones did not bring life, but its ministry was to kill.



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610. Gentiles: Never Given the Law; Jews: Do the Law or Die (No Doer Found)

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It comes as a surprise to many Christians who have spent years in church - those of us non-Jewish people (Gentiles) were never considered to be under the Mosaic law. Never. None of it. Not the dietary rules, the sacrificial statutes, or the moral laws. Only Israel had been placed under that law in the Old Covenant, before the sacrifice of Christ. The law brought a curse for those under it - they were required to do it… all of it. Under that covenant, only a doer of the law could be justified. The problem? Nobody had ever done it until Jesus came along and fulfilled the law on our behalf. A New Covenant would be established, where righteousness would be received through faith, apart from the works of the law. Gentiles who were without the law and had no covenant would be gifted with the invitation to enter into this everlasting covenant of life. We died with Christ and have been raised to walk in newness of life.



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609. The Wall of Law Torn Down: Jews and Gentiles Brought Together

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In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul explains the gospel in the context of two different groups: Those who were born of the Jewish race, and the Gentiles who were born from another tribe or nation, outside of Israel. The Jews were under the law and had a hope within their (first) covenant with almighty God. We who would have been considered Gentiles were without a covenant, without hope, and without God in the world. The Jews were near, Gentiles were far off. What is it that divided or separated these two groups? It was the law of commandments found in ordinances. The Jews pursued righteousness through their works under the law but could not attain it, because “the law is not of faith.” Jesus broke down this wall of separation (the law and commandments) and brought the two together as one man, into one body (the body of Jesus Christ). Instead of works, it is through faith that Jews are made righteous, and we Gentiles are no longer far off or strangers and aliens, but are now members of the household of God.



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608. Jews, Gentiles and the Gospel

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Today in the New Covenant, Jew and Gentile have been merged together as one. However, gaining an understanding of the separation or the differences between them prior to the cross will help us to see a clearer picture of the gospel, and why Jesus ministered (to the Jews) in the way that He did. Because it is often erroneously assumed by Christians today that Jesus was always ministering a New Covenant teaching that was meant for everyone, believers will lack understanding that references to Gentiles were simply non-Jewish people — those born outside of the Jewish race. Coming to a realization of this will help us to avoid getting confused when it comes to the (expired) old covenant law, and the New Covenant that we abide in today.



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607. Forgiveness Complete! Now Empowered to Walk in Newness of Life

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The issue of the forgiveness of all sins has been fully dealt with once and for all by Christ at the cross. Does this mean we should use our freedom as an opportunity to seek after sin? Of course not! We’ve been baptized into Christ Jesus and into His death (not to be confused with water baptism). One who has died has been set free from sin and we are no longer spiritual slaves to it. We were also raised with Him in order that we can walk in newness of life - the life of God that has been gifted to us. God’s grace now empowers us to live in a way that reflects the righteousness of God. Living in the reality of this will become easier as you begin to understand the identity of who God has already made you to be. As a forgiven, holy, perfected, and sanctified child of the King, we should now consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.



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607. Forgiveness Complete! Now Empowered to Walk in Newness of Life

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The issue of the forgiveness of all sins has been fully dealt with once and for all by Christ at the cross. Does this mean we should use our freedom as an opportunity to seek after sin? Of course not! We’ve been baptized into Christ Jesus and into His death (not to be confused with water baptism). One who has died has been set free from sin and we are no longer spiritual slaves to it. We were also raised with Him in order that we can walk in newness of life - the life of God that has been gifted to us. God’s grace now empowers us to live in a way that reflects the righteousness of God. Living in the reality of this will become easier as you begin to understand the identity of who God has already made you to be. As a forgiven, holy, perfected, and sanctified child of the King, we should now consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.



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606. Faithfulness

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As believers in Jesus Christ, it’s natural to have a desire to be faithful. But our ability to perform may not always be as consistent as we desire. Whereas the Old Covenant was centered on the faithfulness and obedience of the people and their (in)ability to abide by all the commandments and rules under the law, the focus of New Covenant is highlighted in the faithfulness of God. This faithfulness is centered on the obedience of Christ, which will never fail. He is the completion of our forgiveness, our hope, our life, righteousness, sanctification, and so much more. Even when our faithfulness towards Him waivers, His dedication and faithfulness towards us remains forever.



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605. Faith and Believing

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When the word "faith" is mentioned, it will likely bring a wide variety of different thoughts and viewpoints, depending on what people have been taught about the subject. There are some today who proclaim that faith and believing is no longer relevant and may suggest it's unnecessary. Others on the opposite end of the spectrum will turn faith into a work that leads to legalism. So how does faith and believing factor into our lives today in the New Covenant? That's our conversation on this week's Growing in Grace podcast.



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604. Why “Trying Harder” Doesn’t Work

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Those Christians who are seeking to improve right-standing with God through their efforts are guaranteed to fail. Many will often wonder where they stand with God as they work to improve their behavior in order to attain more of God’s forgiveness, righteousness, holiness, sanctification, and even His love and acceptance. Don’t be discouraged by the guarantee of failure and the inability to acquire these blessings through your works. As the Jewish people under the law could’ve told you, it only leads to self-righteousness, which profits nothing. What if you could discover a guarantee to experience the fullness of the life of God on a daily basis, without fear, and without it being dependent upon your ability? It’s already been gifted to you in something called the gospel.



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603. Believers ID’d as Righteous, Apart from Behavior

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How you are identified as a believer in Jesus Christ is entirely separate from your works and actions. Israelites under the law declared that the attempt to keep the law of works would be righteousness for them, but there was never an individual who could accomplish the demand of doing it to the point of perfection, as was required. In order to receive the perfection and righteousness that was needed, Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf and God placed us in Him. He became like us so we could become like him. Instead of pursuing works in order to establish ourselves (which leads to boasting), we abide in the faith of His finished work, where we have nothing to boast. Faith-based righteousness has brought us new life by God’s grace, which empowers us to live in the way of the Spirit, apart from the works of the law.



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