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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

615. Inviting God into Our Presence? (He Invited You!) (Part 1)

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A dubious habit that we’ve bought into is the need to create an acceptable atmosphere in order for the presence of the Holy Spirit to envelop us or come upon us. Various words or phrases are used to invite God into our presence or to seek a greater anointing. The truth is, God is not just in us, but as believers in Christ, we’re in Him! The anointing is in us! This combination should bring an assurance that often goes unrealized by His children. There is no need to send an invitation to God, while hoping He’ll respond with an RSVP. He invited us!.



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614. The Source of Spiritual Bondage and How to Be Free

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The Bible speaks of a slavery that keeps people in spiritual bondage. When speaking to Jews in one of their synagogues, Jesus referred to a prophecy in Isaiah that indicates the reason He came was to set these captives free with good news — those who were spiritually poor, held captive, blind and oppressed. What was it that was keeping these Jewish people in bondage? It was the very ministry that came through Moses on Mt. Sinai, the ministry they thought would be righteousness for them. Unfortunately, much of the church has inserted fragments of that old, obsolete ministry into the Christian mindset, and it has brought unnecessary misery to many believers today. The good news is Jesus provided the way of escape.



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613. Why There Is No Condemnation in Christ

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Part 3 in our series on the third chapter of 2 Corinthians includes some fantastic cross references related to the former ministry of condemnation (the law and commandments). Whereas the law that came through Moses brought death, condemnation and bondage, we've been transferred into the ministry of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The law keeps a veil over hearts, and it can only be taken away when one turns to Christ, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.



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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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