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What does the Bible Say About the Flesh?

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The flesh is one of the most confusing words in the Bible. What does it mean? And is the flesh good or bad?

Why did Paul say he was alive in the flesh but then say he had crucified the flesh? Why does he say the body of the flesh has been circumcised (so it’s gone, right), then say he served sin with his flesh (no wait, it’s back!).

It doesn’t make sense.

Nor does it help when some Bibles mistranslate the original word for flesh (sarx) as sinful nature. (I’m looking at you New International Version.)

Fear not. The flesh is not hard to understand. Below is everything you need to know about the flesh. For a full list of scripture references and explanatory notes check out my entry for “The Flesh” in the Grace Glossary.

Everything You Need to Know about the Flesh

The flesh can refer to: (1) our physical bodies, (2) people, or (3) worldly unspiritual things.

To be “in the flesh” means (1) being alive “in the body” or (2) an unbeliever living disconnected from God and living solely from their connection to the physical world. It is walking by sight instead of faith. You are not in the flesh, if the Spirit of God dwells in you.

The lusts/desires of flesh include wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, and wanting to appear important. In a word, the flesh craves control.

To walk according the flesh or sow to the flesh or carry out the desires of the flesh is to live without regard for the things of God. It’s trusting in yourself (your abilities, your understanding) and living solely from the basis of your earthly experience (what you see, hear, touch, know, etc.). Like a butterfly who acts as a caterpillar, walking after the old ways of the flesh is abnormal for a believer.

The desires of the flesh give rise to the deeds of the flesh or the deeds of the body. These include selfishness, sexual immorality, materialism, manipulation, resentment, quarrels, unrestrained ambition, temper tantrums, drunkenness, being envious, and so forth. Fleshly works also include law-keeping, self-denial, long-winded praying and other activities done to curry favor with God.

The things of the flesh are those things that are valued in the world such as human effort, reputation and accomplishments. They can be contrasted with the unseen and eternal things of the Spirit.

A mind set on the flesh is focused on self-preservation and the things of the flesh. An obsession with self leads inevitably to conflict, dissension and death. In contrast, a mind set on the spirit puts God at the center and looks to him to supply our needs. Being led by the spirit leads to everlasting life and peace.

To have weak flesh means my unspiritual body is incapable of living the life that God desires for me.

The flesh profits nothing because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We all need to be born of the Spirit.

The body of the flesh is another name for your old self.

Having crucified the flesh with its passions and desires means I am done with that inferior and unspiritual way of life. I make no provision for the flesh because I am not a debtor to the flesh. The flesh holds no appeal for me because I am walking according to the new and better way of spirit.

Image source.

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“Know your flesh types.” In the bonus materials for this article, I list 25 ways your flesh reacts to pressure. Available now on Patreon.
 

Are Women Weaker Vessels?

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Running through the tapestry of human history is a sexist thread that says women are weaker and inferior to men. They are second-born and second-best.

This is what the philosophers and rabbis taught, as did the Church Fathers and theologians. John Chrysostom said the women in the Bible were occasionally admirable, “yet did they in no case outstrip the men, but occupied the second rank.”

John Calvin, the so-called reformer, said:

Let the woman be satisfied with her state of subjection, and not take it amiss that she is made inferior to the more distinguished sex.

Were there ever more shameful examples of male arrogance? Of course, we would never say such things. We know better.

The stronger sex?

Are women weaker vessels? Science tells women have better immune systems, better genes, and they live longer than men. They experience less stress and lower heart disease, and they are much less likely to start wars. Women perform better academically (when given the chance), companies run by women are more profitable, and countries led by women do better at surviving pandemics.

Are women different? Sure.

But weaker? Not a chance.

Yet here’s a phrase I’ve heard from the pulpit: “Women are ill-equipped to preach and lead. Women have more compassion, which makes them vulnerable and prone to deception. It’s all part of God’s divine order.”

Which is a roundabout way of saying that women are inferior to men.

And since women are weaker, they should never preach. Which makes perfect sense because God only uses strong capable people, right?

No, wait.

If God chooses the weak to shame the strong, wouldn’t that make women better leaders than men?

Weakness is no barrier to God. He can demonstrate his wisdom and power through anyone. But who says women are weaker? Apparently, Peter did:

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)

Peter is not saying women are too weak to preach or lead. He’s saying careless husbands can render their prayers ineffective. But how do they do that? And what makes a woman the weaker partner?

Made by God

When God made the first man and woman, both were very good. One wasn’t weaker or inferior to the other.

But after the Fall, everything changed. Suddenly, men and women were no longer on an equal footing. “He will rule over you” (Gen 3:16). Because of the curse of sin, the woman found herself at a disadvantage. If women are in a weaker position, it is because they have been oppressed by a fallen world that favors men.

When Peter refers to wives as the weaker partner, he is not saying that men can do more push-ups or that females are feeble. He’s saying women are have been victims of an ancient patriarchal prejudice.

And he should know.

Every time he went to the Temple, Peter passed through the outer Women’s Court on his way to the male-only Court of Israel. Every time he went to the synagogue or every time he saw a woman get stoned for adultery, Peter was reminded that women have not had a fair shake. From the day women were born, their rights were weaker, and their prospects were bleaker.

Taking his lead from Jesus, Peter spoke out against this injustice. He encouraged women to prophesy and speak as though speaking the very words of God. He treated women with respect, and he told husbands to treat their wives as fellow heirs of grace.

This was a radical notion for Jewish men. Even today some men have trouble accepting their wives as fellow heirs and equal in the Lord.

“My wife is equal with me? I don’t think so. She’s a weaker vessel who needs to know her place.”

If that’s what you think, your prayers are going to be hindered, because God opposes proud men (1 Pet. 5:5).

Pride hinders our prayers because those who think they need nothing from God get nothing from God. This is why religious superstars are often further from grace than tax collectors and prostitutes (Matt. 21:31b).

As D.L. Moody once said, “It is to the needy that God opens the wardrobe of heaven and brings out the robe of righteousness.”

Like racists, sexist people see others as weaker or inferior. They may not say it aloud, but in their hearts they speak the language of the Pharisee.

“Thank God I’m not a foreigner or a woman.”

If you are not enjoying the grace of God in your life, it may be because you have lorded it over your wife (or husband) when you should have been treating her (or him) as a fellow heir in grace.

Grace for your marriage

Do you look down on your partner or do you submit to them in love? Do you make all the important decisions alone, or do you receive the wisdom that God gives to your other half?

Some men treat their wives poorly because that’s how they were raised. They don’t know any better. If this is you, what can you do? Peter gives practical instruction:

Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground. Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. (1 Peter 3:7–8, MSG)

It’s one thing to be humble before the Lord, but Peter exhorts us to be humble with each other and with people who are different from us.

Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. (1 Pet. 5:5)

Women are not inferior, and neither are foreigners, Catholics, Protestants, Democrats, Republicans, divorced people, old people, young people, and single parents.

If you want more of God’s grace to flow in your life, learn to see others as Jesus sees them. The world may dismiss some people as weaker or inferior vessels, but God’s grace flows through flawed and broken people.

Even our spouses.

Fukl sources for quotes and stats are listed in the The Silent Queen. Image source

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EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY for email subscribers: To celebrate International Women’s Day, you can get my award-winning book The Silent Queen for FREE! Be quick. Ends Friday.

Did Paul Preach a Different Gospel?

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Read the New Testament and you might come away with the idea that there is more than one gospel.

The very first words of the New Testament in the King James Bible are, “The Gospel According to Matthew.” Read on and you will also find the gospels according to Mark, Luke, and John.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we find Jesus preaching the gospel of the kingdom, while Mark refers to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the gospel of God.

The word gospel does not appear in John’s Gospel, but in Acts and all the letters that follow, the gospel is mentioned plenty of times with different labels:

  • the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1)
  • the gospel of Christ (Rom. 15:19, 1 Cor. 9:12, 2 Cor. 2:12, 9:13, 10:14, Gal. 1:7, Php. 1:27, 1 Th. 3:2)
  • the gospel of God (Mark 1:14, Rom 1:1, 15:16, 2 Cor. 11:7, 1 Th. 2:2, 8, 9, 1 Pet. 4:17)
  • the gospel of the blessed God (1 Tim. 1:11)
  • the gospel of his Son (Rom 1:9)
  • the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23, 9:35, 24:14, Luke 16:16)
  • the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4)
  • the gospel of your salvation (Eph. 1:13)
  • the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15)
  • the glorious gospel of the blessed God (1 Tim 1:11)
  • the eternal gospel (Rev. 14:6)

These are not different gospels but different labels for the one and only gospel, namely the gospel of grace.

When Paul refers to the gospel of grace in Acts 20:24, he means the same thing as when he and others refer to the gospel of God or the gospel of peace or the gospel of your salvation. All of these gospels reveal the One who is called Grace, who was given to us out of the fullness of the Father’s grace, and through whom we have received grace upon grace.

This is all pretty obvious, right? Only many don’t see it.

They see Jesus preaching one gospel and Paul preaching another. Or they see discord among the apostles. “Paul preached salvation by faith; James added works.” Or they see different gospels for different dispensations; a gospel for then, another one for now.

But if this were true, how would you know which gospel to believe? People would say things like, “I follow Paul.” “I follow Peter.” “Well I follow Jesus!”

Paul said if anyone preached a gospel different to the one he preached, let them be cursed (Gal. 1:9). So if Jesus preached a different gospel, Paul was cursing the Lord and the Bible can’t be trusted.

And if you believe there are different gospels, then you will have a divided heart. You will be forever wondering if you have picked the right one.

Did Jesus and Paul preach the same gospel?

Did Paul preach a different gospel? Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom while Paul went around preaching the kingdom of God (Acts 20:25). Looks like the same gospel to me.

“But Jesus emphasized the kingdom, while Paul emphasized grace.” These are not different emphases but different ways of saying the same thing. When we preach the kingdom, we are revealing a King whose name is Grace. Grace is the language, the culture, and the economy of the kingdom.

When Jesus says seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, he is saying “seek me and my righteousness.” Where do we find his righteousness? In the gospel of grace!

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. (Romans 1:17)

In many of his letters, Paul preached the gospel of Christ. On other occasions he preached the gospel of God. These are different labels for the gospel of grace because it is the grace of God revealed in Christ that makes the good news good news.

Did Paul and Peter preach the same gospel?

I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised… (Galatians 2:7)

Paul and Peter preached the same gospel to different audiences. Peter preached to the Jews (but not always), while Paul preached to the Gentiles (but not always). But they both preached the same gospel.

Paul is known to us as the apostle of grace, but Peter was an apostle of grace too. Peter preached about the God of all grace revealing his grace through a Savior (1 Pet. 1:10, 5:10).

It was Peter who encouraged us to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God and stand firm in the true grace of God (1 Pet. 4:10, 5:12).

And it was Peter who prayed that grace would be multiplied to us as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Pet. 1:2, 3:18).

There is no question that Peter understood grace as well as Paul, but what about the odd man out? What about James?

Did Paul and James preach the same gospel?

Many dismiss James as unacquainted with grace. A young Martin Luther even referred to James’ letter as an epistle of straw.

But James was an apostle of grace who understood the grace message as well as Paul. Like Peter, James preached to the Jews. His letter was written to religious people who believed in God and were diligent in their observance of the law.

The religious Jews were doing plenty of works, but their works were dead works and their faith was a dead faith (Jas. 2:17). They believed in God, but their faith was not accompanied by the “work” of believing in the one he sent (Jas. 2:14).

The apostles and epistle writers did not preach different gospels. They all proclaimed the grace of God and justification by faith in his Son.

Don’t be misled by the different labels. There aren’t different gospels for different folks or different times.

Just as there is one Lord and one faith, there is only one gospel – the gospel of grace.

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All Your Questions Answered

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Do you have questions about God, the Bible, the church, money, parenting, sin, and life in general?

Over the past few weeks I have revamped E2R’s questions page. More than 400 questions are now organized by topic to make it easier for you to find the answers you are looking for.

Check it out: https://escapetoreality.org/faqs/

If you find this page useful, tell your friends.

Grace and peace,

Paul

What is a Biblical Definition of Faith?

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A son holding his father's hand

What is faith?

We talk about faith all the time, but what is it? Do you know what faith is? Of course you do, right?

Are you sure?

Maybe a better question to ask is, “Do I have a Biblical definition of faith?”

Contrary to what you may have heard, faith is not wishful thinking or some sort of spiritual currency that you trade for heavenly favors. Nor is faith something you manufacture through sheer determination.

So what is faith?

Here’s my definition: Faith is knowing and trusting your Father’s love. Faith is resting in the confident assurance that God is good and he longs to be good to you.

What, too gushy? Not Greek enough for you?

In the original language of the New Testament, there is a family of words that are translated as faith (pistis), believe (pisteuo), trustworthy (pistikos) and faithful (pistos). Then there is another family of words that can be translated as unbelief (apistia), unbelieving (apistos), disbelief (apeitheia), disbelieve (apeitheo), and unpersuadable (apeithes).

All these words derive from a common word (peitho) that means to convince, win over, or persuade.

Abraham “was fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Rom. 4:21). That’s faith. Faith is being fully persuaded or convinced that God is good and trustworthy and that he cares for you.

Abraham’s faith

Manmade religion preaches blind faith, but Biblical faith is based on knowing God. Faith is not a leap in the dark, it’s walking in the light of God’s love.

Again, consider Abraham. God said go and he went (Gen. 12:1). When Abraham got to Canaan, God said stay and he stayed. That’s faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise… (Hebrews 11:8-9)

Then God said “I will bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars,” and Abraham said “okay.” Also faith.

We tend to overthink faith, but faith is saying yes to God. When we pray the prayer of faith, we are simply saying yes to the Lord.

[Sidebar: When you agree with God that’s called confession. Agreeing with God makes you right with God and that’s called righteousness (Rom. 3:28). Good things happen when you agree with God.]

Where does faith come from?

Manmade religion says you have to faith your way into heaven, but that’s not how faith works. True faith is always a response to something God has said or done.

We might say that faith stems from hope which comes from love. It’s the unfailing love of God that inspires us to trust him. Here’s a verse that explains the proper order:

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. (1 John 4:16)

God loves us (that’s the first bit), then we come to trust in his love (that’s the faith bit). His love for us inspires our faith in him.

And since the love of God is revealed in Jesus Christ (John 17:26), we can also say that faith comes from hearing the good news of Jesus:

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:17)

We don’t get faith from hearing a good sermon; we get it from hearing about Jesus.

When we hear about the love of God that is revealed in Jesus, our faith is activated. “Wow! God is so good! How can I not trust him?” In the Bible, believing in Jesus is called the work of God.

Are you starting to see what faith is? Let’s finish with some quick contrasts:

Religion says, “you need to believe,” without giving you a reason to believe, but the gospel declares “God is good and completely trustworthy.”

Religion says “impress God with your faith,” but the gospel says we have been justified “by the faith of Christ” (Gal. 2:16). We love because he loves us, and we believe because God believes in us.

Religion says “faith comes from within,” but the gospel reveals Jesus “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).

He is truly the supplier of our faith, hope, and love.

Faith is…

Tradition portrays faith has damp ticket to heaven that may or may not be valid for entry, but the faith that God gives us is nothing like this.

Faith is not just the means by which we come into union with Christ; faith is the very flavor of our relationship.

Faith is living each day in total dependency on the One who spoke the universe into existence and flung the galaxies across the heavens.

Faith is knowing your heavenly Father has great dreams and good gifts for you.

Faith is an invitation to smile at the storm, stride over the mountains, and live supernaturally here and now.

How boring life would be without faith.

Those are my thoughts; I’d love to hear yours. How do you define faith? What does trusting God mean in your day-to-day life? Let me know in the comments.

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If you liked this, you will love Paul’s rapidly-expanding Grace Glossary. Learn the language of the new covenant by discovering the treasures hidden within words like grace, faith, and forgiveness.

Are Women Saved through Childbearing?

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One of the strangest verses in the Bible is found in Paul’s first letter to Timothy:

But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15)

If there was ever a verse that could be misused to promote patriarchy and dead works, it’s this one.

“Stay home, make babies, earn salvation!”

Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet it’s not far removed from what some of the Church Fathers actually taught.

Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo, taught that women were put on earth to serve men and make babies:

I do not see in what sense the woman was made as a helper for the man if not for the sake of bearing children.

Martin Luther likewise taught that the chief purpose of women was to reproduce:

Men have broad and large chests, and small narrow hips, and more understanding than women, who have but small and narrow breasts, and broad hips, to the end they should remain at home, sit still, keep house, and bear and bring up children.

Raising children is a noble occupation, but the picture of a man ruling from his throne while his wife raises the kids alone, is contrary to God’s plan for partnership. It comes from Athens, not Eden.

The scriptures are full of exhortations for men to be proactive and engaged fathers (e.g., Pro. 4:1–4, Eph. 6:4, 1 Thess. 2:11). Men and women are both called to raise children.

And this idea that women can be saved by having babies?! That can’t be right. Can it?

Some translations try and wriggle out of it by translating the word saved as preserved. But the original word (sozo) is almost always translated as save or saved elsewhere in the Bible.

Are women really saved through childbearing?

The first thing to note about this strange verse is the word women. This word should be in italics as it has been added by translators. Paul never said it.

Other Bibles translate his words as “she will be saved through childbearing.” Who is she? It is the woman Paul has just been talking about, namely Eve.

For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve… but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. (1 Timothy 2:13–14)

Eve was deceived and became a sinner, but that wasn’t the end of her story. She was saved through childbearing, meaning her Offspring – the Seed of Eve otherwise known as Jesus – undid the damage.

Recall the promise God made to the serpent:

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head… (Genesis 3:15)

Are women saved through childbearing? No, but women (and men) are saved because Eve bore a child. No baby, no Jesus.

Imagine if fallen Eve had refused to bear children. Imagine if she had been so racked with guilt and shame that she said, “I will not bring any children into the world.” That would have been a disaster! God’s redemptive purposes would never have come to pass.

Thank God Eve bore children or none of us would be here and none of us could be saved.

Which is a lovely way for Paul to close out what he has been saying. “Because Adam failed to train his wife, Eve fell into deception, and humanity was lost. But God redeemed their mess by giving us a Savior, born from the couple who fell.”

What a Great Redeemer is our God.

Continue in faith, love and holiness

Now that last bit:

– if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Some read this as though Paul was preaching conditional salvation. “As long as you maintain propriety or self-control, you’re saved. But have a bad day and you’re out.”

Paul was not saying this at all. Paul’s frequent exhortations to continue in the faith or continue in the grace of God should not be read as threats to your eternal salvation.

He’s saying, “Don’t be tossed and turned, but keep your eyes on Jesus. Continue trusting him and you won’t be seduced into dead works or religious superstition.”

Again, the context is the key. The immediate context is Eve; the larger context is Timothy’s church in Ephesus.

The Ephesians worshipped the many-breasted Artemis, the goddess of childbirth and midwifery. Artemis was just about the ugliest, most-repulsive idol you could imagine, yet the superstitious and fearful came from miles around to pray to her.

Now imagine you are an Ephesian believer facing a difficult birth. You live in a world without antibiotics, painkillers, and C-sections. You know people who have died during childbirth, and you worry that it could happen to you. What can you do?

For an Ephesian woman, the temptation would be to fall back on old habits and offer sacrifices to Artemis.

“Don’t do that,” said Paul. “There’s no salvation there. Fear not and continue to trust God. Just look at the mighty salvation he wrought through the childbearing Eve.”

What does this mean for us?

We may never be tempted to worship an idol with more udders than a herd of cows. For us, superstition and dead works take other forms.

When facing a trial, we might be tempted to pray a little more or give a little more or go to church a little more in the misguided belief that we can bribe God with our efforts.

“I’ll do something for you, if you do something for me.”

It’s very easy to think like this but when we do we are no longer continuing in faith, love and holiness. We’re walking after the flesh.

The word for propriety means sound mind. If you want a sound mind in times of trouble, don’t look to yourself for salvation, but fix your eyes on the Savior. Hasten to enter his rest and let nothing move you.

Paul is not saying women are saved by making babies. Nor is he saying a woman’s place is in the home or women must raise children alone.

He’s saying continue to trust the God who saves, and you will have grace for your trials.

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Update: Paul’s book The Silent Queen has won a medal at the 2022 Illumination Book Awards!

What is the Gospel of Grace?

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Sunset crowd

There are few things in life more important than life itself. You might give your life for a child or a loved one. Maybe you would give your life for your country. The Apostle Paul gave his life for the gospel of grace.

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Act 20:24)

Paul dedicated his life to the gospel of grace. He said that preaching the grace gospel was more important than life itself, and that anyone who preached a different gospel should be cursed.

Anyone, no matter who they are, that brings you a different gospel than the grace gospel… let him be condemned and cursed! (Galatians 1:9, TPT)

What is this gospel of grace that Paul valued so highly? How do we recognize it?

And how would we know if someone was preaching a different gospel?

What is the gospel of grace?

The gospel of grace is the only gospel for it is the grace of God that makes the good news the good news. It is the grace of God that saves us, sanctifies us, and keeps us secure to the end.

What is grace? Grace is the love of God that comes to us through his Son and empowers us to be who God made us to be.

And what is the gospel of grace? The One who sits on a throne of grace wants to share his life with you. This life is found in his Son who is full of grace and truth.

What does the grace of God look like? It looks like Jesus. Grace isn’t a mere message or sermon. Grace is a Person living his life through you.

What was Paul’s gospel?

The gospel that Paul preached was a classic 3-point message: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again as the prophets foretold (see 1 Cor. 15:1–6). You are probably familiar with this message, but do you really understand what it means?

As we behold the cross and the empty tomb, the full implications of God’s super-abundant grace become clear. Because of grace I can say:

  1. God loves me unconditionally
  2. God accepts me just the way I am
  3. God has forgiven all my sins
  4. God holds nothing against me
  5. God justifies me and makes me righteous
  6. God makes me a brand new creation
  7. God adopts me into his family making me a co-heir with Christ

And that’s just the beginning of this great grace gospel!

The radical claims of grace

Paul spent his life unpacking the implications of grace. He said things like: God is no longer holding our sins against us (2 Cor. 5:19); we are saved and kept by grace (Eph. 2:5, 1 Cor. 1:8); and God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

These claims were radical 2000 years ago, and they are still radical today. They are so contrary to our natural understanding that many dismiss them as untrue.

“The grace of God can’t be this good.”

Yet Paul described the grace of God as extreme, over the top, and hyper. He and the other New Testament writers said God’s love and grace are greater than we can dream or imagine. They dared to ask bold questions like these gems from Romans 8:

  • If God justifies me, who can condemn me?
  • If God is for us, who can be against us?
  • If God has given us his Son, what won’t he give us?

God’s grace is greater than we can fathom. We will spend the rest of eternity exploring the limitless reaches of his grace to us.

So how can we get this grace message wrong?

What is NOT the gospel of grace

Paul warned us not to listen to those who preach something other than the gospel of grace. Since the grace of God comes to us by faith alone, there are two ways preachers can mess this up:

  1. They preach things that distract us from grace (eg: conditional forgiveness, law-keeping, progressive sanctification, judgmental prophecies, conspiracies, myths, etc.)
  2. They preach things that diminish faith (eg: sin-management, worldly philosophy, politics, dead works, performance-based acceptance, etc.)

How can you tell the difference between a grace message and a graceless one?

A grace-based message will leave you praising God and thanking Jesus. In contrast, a graceless message will have you making promises you can’t keep and then condemn you for not keeping them.

Someone who has not been fully apprehended by the grace of God will always be tempted towards dead works. So be wary of those who preach a mixed gospel. If you desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, tune in to the hypergrace preachers.

But the biggest mistake we can make with the gospel of grace is we think it is for other people. “Grace is for sinners, not good churchgoers like me.”

Big mistake. We all need the grace of God every single day.

It’s grace from start to finish.

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Check out these bonus teaching resources and my article how to teach the gospel of grace.

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And don’t forget to check out my new ebook Buried by the Law, available now on Patreon.

Review of The Passion Translation

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Several years ago, readers started telling me about this new Bible called the Passion Translation. “It’s fresh. It’s brilliant. Check it out.” The buzz reminded me of the excitement we felt when the Message Bible was published in the 1990s.

So I went to Amazon and bought this new Bible. Only I got the name wrong, and I bought a different Bible by mistake. When it arrived I didn’t think it was very good at all.

So for a while, people were telling me to check out the Passion Translation and privately I was thinking, “Why are they so excited about this? It’s not that great.”

Then I realized my mistake and bought the right one. And I have been reading the Passion Translation ever since.

The Passion Translation gets censored

A few days ago, Brian Simmons, the author of the Passion Translation put a message on his Facebook profile saying the good people at Bible Gateway had removed TPT from their website. He asked readers to head over to Bible Gateway and ask them to put it back.

This I did, and I also shared his message on E2R’s FB page. The response from readers was mixed. While most E2R readers were happy to support TPT, a few argued that it was not a translation but a paraphrase. They felt it was misleading for the author to call it a translation.

Others had deeper concerns with TPT and were happy that it had been removed from the Bible Gateway site. Some didn’t like that it had been translated by just one man. “It will be biased.” Others said it had an agenda which was heretical.

I am not in a position to comment on Brian Simmons, his training as a linguist, or any agenda he may have. I have good friends who vouch for him, but I don’t really know him. But I know his Bible. I read it often.

My verdict? I love it. It’s brilliant.

I do not care that TPT was written by one man any more than I care that the Message Bible was written by Eugene Petersen or other translations were written by single authors (e.g., Phillips, Wuest, Source, etc.).

I do not care that the Passion Translation is called a translation any more than I care that the NIV is called a translation.

I do not care that TPT has added clauses that illuminate the text. I find the Aramaic insights and explanatory footnotes that accompany the text most helpful.

But one concern I do have with the Passion Translation is it lacks the Old Testament (just as the Message Bible did when it was first released). However, I understand a complete OT may be coming in 2026. I look forward to it.

My review of the Passion Translation

No Bible translation is 100% accurate or free from bias which is why it is a good idea to read multiple translations. But should you read the Passion Translation?

In my view, Brian Simmons has done a masterful job unpacking the treasures of the New Testament. The Passion Translation is both poetical yet scholarly.

There are plenty of critical reviews pointing out what TPT gets wrong, so let me point out some things it gets right. Let’s start with this well-known passage from John 15:2.

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit…

    • He takes away (ESV/NASB/NKJV/Darby/Wuest)
    • He taketh away (ASV/KJV)
    • He cuts off (ISV/MSG/NIV)
    • He breaks off (GNB)

For years I have insisted that these are bad translations of Jesus’ words. Jesus doesn’t cut or remove unfruitful branches; he lifts them up. As far as I know, TPT is the only Bible that gets this right:

He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches. (John 15:2, TPT)

Does this matter?

If you are an unfruitful Christian, would you rather hear that Jesus plans to cut you off and take you away (something he never said) or that he will lift you up? Bad translations hurt people; good ones encourage them to trust Jesus.

Let me give you another example from Romans 8:26:

    • the Spirit Himself intercedes for us (ESV/ISV/NASB/NIV)
    • the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us (KJV)
    • the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us (NKJV)
    • the Spirit himself comes to our rescue by interceding (Wuest)
    • the Spirit itself makes intercession (Darby)
    • his Spirit within us is actually praying for us (Phillips)

These are all fair translations, but they don’t fully capture what Paul says. As I explain in the Grace Commentary, the original word for intercedes (huperentugchano) is a compound word made up of two words: huper and entugchano (see screenshot below). The first word means hyper or super; the second word means intercede. The Holy Spirit is literally a super-interceder.

Does this matter?

If you are going through tough times, who do you want praying for you? An interceder or a super-interceder? The Holy Spirit is the latter, says Paul, but you will never know this unless you read the Passion Translation:

The Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf… (Rom. 8:26, TPT)

The next example comes from the Passion Translation footnote for Romans 5:20:

Again, the Passion Translation is the only English Bible that talks about the super-hyper-abundant grace of God.

Paul often wrote about the hypergrace of God, but you wouldn’t know that from reading modern Bibles. Brian Simmons should be applauded for having the courage to quote Paul accurately. I just wish he’d put this in the main text and not buried it in a note, but it’s a start.

Is the Passion Translation a paraphrase?

A translation is what you have when you take a text in one language (e.g., Greek) and translate it into another (e.g., English). Different translation approaches can be arranged on a spectrum with word for word translations at one end, and thought for thought translations at the other. Those at one end of the spectrum emphasize the original syntax (form and grammar) of the words. Those at the other end seek to capture the original meaning of the words.

What is a paraphrase? A Bible like the Living Bible is not a translation but a paraphrase because it is based on another English Bible (the ASV). But what if we are paraphrasing from the original language? When does a thought-for-thought translation become a paraphrase? That’s a thorny question that affects Bibles like the Message and the Passion.

Call the Passion Translation a paraphrase, and you are lumping it together with untranslated Bibles like the Living Bible. Call it a thought-for-thought translation, and you are lumping it with Bibles like the NIV, CEV, and the Message.

In my view, dismissing the Passion Translation as a paraphrase won’t work, because in several places it is more accurate than some word-for-word translations. Often it quotes the New Testament authors with greater accuracy than the NASB, ESV, RSV, etc.

And as I explain in my article, “How sexist is your Bible?” the Passion Translation is relatively unaffected by the gender bias that stains many older translations.

Put it altogether and the result is a Bible for our generation. The Passion Translation links our modern world with the Biblical world better than many other Bibles. It brings the Bible to life and gives fresh understanding to old scriptures.

Is the Passion Translation perfect? Of course not. No translation is.

Is the Passion Translation helpful, honest, beautiful, excellent, and praiseworthy? Definitely.

Will the Passion Translation help you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? Most assuredly.

It has helped me.

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In the bonus content for this article, available now on Patreon, I outline the pros and cons of different Bible translations and I explain when and why I use them. I also talk about which translations I rely on when writing for the Grace Commentary.

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E2R’s 12th Birthday and our Biggest Giveaway Ever!

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Today is Escape to Reality’s 12th anniversary. To celebrate we’re having our BIGGEST GIVEAWAY ever!

For the next two days you can get one, two, or seven of my books for a special pandemic pay-whatever-you-want price.

Which means you can get all the books below for nothing!

In addition, you can also get two of my most popular Jesus Scripts for a special pay-whatever-you-want price:

(Jesus Scripts are a great way to do family devotionals or online church. Check them out!)

To get a book click on a cover:

This offer is good until Sunday night, so be quick and tell your friends.

As always, thanks for sharing the journey,

Paul

PS: Did you know we have given away more than 50,000 books so far? Giveaways like these are possible thanks to our awesome supporters on Patreon or Donorbox.

What is the Law in the Bible?

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Law in the Bible

Pop question: When Jesus said, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?” what law was he referring to? Was he referring to the Law of Moses or some other law?

If you answered the Law of Moses, you are mistaken. Go to the back of the class, and see me after school.

Jesus was not quoting Moses but Psalm 82:6. When Jesus said “your law” in John 10:34 he was referring to the Hebrew Scriptures a.k.a. the Old Testament.

What is the law in the Bible? Usually “the law” refers to the Law of Moses, but not always. There is also the law of Christ, the law of liberty, the law of sin, the law of faith, and more.

If we are going to talk about the law, we need to know which law we are talking about. Otherwise you might have a conversation like this:

You: “Romans says we are not under law but grace.”
Them: “That is referring to the ceremonial ordinances only. We still need to keep the Ten Commandments.”
You: “Huh?”

Did you know the Bible lists at least twelve types of law? Here they are:

1. The Law of Moses

The Law of Moses refers to the Ten Commandments plus the 600 or so ordinances, punishments, and ceremonial observances given to the nation of Israel through Moses (Jos. 8:31, John 1:17, 7:19). This law is sometimes referred to as the law of commandments (Eph. 2:15) or the law of the Jews (Acts 25:8).

2. The law of God / the law of the Lord

The law of God has a double meaning, depending on which covenant you are under. In the old covenant, the Jews referred to the Law of Moses as the law of God (Jos. 24:26, Neh. 8:8) or the law of the Lord (Ex. 13:9). However, the law codified by Moses was but a shadow of a new covenant reality (Heb. 10:1).

In the new covenant, the law of God is synonymous with the word of God. The word of God is the way by which God makes himself and his will known. When Paul said he delighted in the law of God (Rom. 7:22), he meant he took pleasure in obeying God the Father. He was not referring to the Law of Moses.

3. The royal law

The royal law is to love your neighbor as yourself (Jas. 2:8). This commandment, which comes straight out of the Law of Moses (see Lev. 19:18), is the king of laws because loving others fulfils all the other laws (Rom. 13:8-9, Gal. 5:14). In context it means treat people with dignity, even if they are poor (Jas. 2:1, 5). Don’t show favoritism.

4. The golden rule

The golden rule is Jesus’ version of the royal law: do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Luke 6:31).

5. The greatest commandment

Jesus was asked to name the first and greatest commandment in the law. Jesus replied, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:36–38).

Note that this is the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses. Under the law-keeping covenant, the flow was from you to the Lord (Deut. 6:5, 10:12). You loved God because it was a law that came with consequences. But in the new covenant of grace, we love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). This brings us to…

6. The law of Christ

The law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21, Gal. 6:2) is the Lord’s command to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).

The law of Christ is both a new commandment and a new kind of commandment (1 John 2:8, 2 John 1:5). We don’t love others because we fear God’s punishment; we love because we have received his love. As with everything in the new covenant, love starts with God, and as we receive from the abundance of the Father’s love we find ourselves loving others (1 John 4:19).

7. The law of the Spirit of life

The law of the Spirit of life refers to the rule or government of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:2). It is being led by the Spirit instead of walking after the flesh (Rom. 6:14, 18). When we yield to the life-giving Spirit, we reap abundant life (Rom. 8:13).

8. The law of sin

The law of sin refers to the rule or influence of sin (Rom. 7:23, 25). In the same way that a sheriff is the law in a small town, the world is in thrall to the rule of sin (Rom. 6:14, 20). The fruit of sin is death which is why the law of sin is also called the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).

Although Christians have been freed from sin (Rom. 6:7), they subject themselves to the law of sin whenever they walk after the old ways of the flesh (Rom. 6:16). One way they do this is by putting themselves under the yoke of law (Gal. 5:3–5). The law is not sin, but keeping the law requires no faith and anything that is not of faith is sin (Rom. 14:23, Gal. 3:12).

9. The law of righteousness

The law of righteousness refers to the so-called righteousness that comes from observing the Law of Moses (Rom. 10:5, Php. 3:6, 9). Such a righteousness is not true righteousness because it is not based on faith (Gal. 3:11–12).

No one was ever justified or made righteous through their observance of the law (Rom. 9:31). If righteousness could be obtained through the law, Christ died for nothing (Gal. 2:21).

10. The law of faith

The law of DIY righteousness can be distinguished from the law of faith which says we are justified by faith without regard for our works (Rom. 3:27–28).

11. The law of liberty

The law of liberty is another name for the word that can save you (Jas 1:21, 25), which is Jesus, the Living Word of God who sets us free. The law of liberty describes what Jesus has done (perfectly fulfilled or completed the law) and the fruit he will bear in our lives (liberty) if we trust him.

The perfect law that gives freedom, can be contrasted with the Law of Moses that binds (Rom 7:6, Jas. 1:25). Look into the mirror of Moses’ Law and you will be miserable, for it exposes all your faults. But look into the perfect law which is Jesus and you will be blessed, for it reveals his righteousness.

12. The law written on the hearts

The law written on the hearts is two different things. When Paul speaks of the godless Gentiles having a law written in their hearts, he is referring to our consciences (Rom. 2:14–15). Your conscience is a kind of law-based religion that tells you right from wrong and condemns you when you violate those standards (Rom. 2:15).

But the Bible mentions another law that God writes on the hearts and minds of his children (Heb. 8:10, 10:16). This law is not the knowledge of right and wrong, nor is it the Law of Moses. When Jeremiah the prophet said that those who had the new law written on their hearts would know the Lord, he was referring to the indwelling Spirit (a.k.a. the law of the Spirit of life) and the believer’s union with Christ (Jer. 31:33–34).

The law written by God into your heart is Jesus. It is the seed of God birthed in you by the Holy Spirit.

What is the law in the Bible? There are many laws and many kinds of laws. Some of the laws found in the Bible are old covenant laws, meaning they come with penalties for non-compliance, while other laws are new covenant laws, meaning they describe the life that is ours in Christ.

Law versus grace

When Paul said “you are not under law but grace,” he was referring to any old covenant-type law that says you must do things to earn God’s favor. If you have been told you must confess, tithe, serve, or pray to be blessed, that’s the kind of law that has no place in the new covenant. Every blessing comes to us by grace alone.

Some say the church needs a healthy respect for the law. If we are talking about the Ten Commandments or the royal law or any law that hinges on your ability to keep it, then I disagree. Rely on your own law-keeping ability, and you’ll end up fallen from grace. You will cut yourself off from Christ.

But if we are talking about the law of Christ or the law of faith or the law of liberty, then I heartily agree, for these sorts of laws lead us to rely on the grace of God.


In this article I listed the different laws in the Bible. In the Bonus Content (available now on Patreon), I talk about different commandments along with the rules of religion. I also respond to questions such as who is the law for? And how do we fulfill the law?

What is the Law of Christ?

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The Law of Christ Galatians 6:2

There are many laws in the Bible. There is the Law of Moses and the Law of God. There is the law of sin and the law of faith. There is the law of righteousness and the law of liberty. But what is the law of Christ?

If you don’t know the law of Christ – and many people don’t – you’ll be susceptible to those who preach law.

“The law of Christ is the Biblical law. It’s loving the Lord your God with all your heart.”

No, no, no.

The Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments are not the Law of Christ. This is:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34)

Jesus did not come to give us an old law but a new one, and a life-giving one at that. The law of Christ is love one another, as I have loved you.

I’m sure you have read this commandment before, but do you realize what it means?

“It means I’m supposed to be a good Christian and love other people as I love myself.”

No, that’s not what it means. To love your neighbor as yourself is the royal law of the old covenant. It’s an old commandment but Jesus is preaching a new commandment.

A new commandment

What is the law of Christ? The law of Christ is both a new law and a new kind of law. It’s a new law for a new creation. What is new about it? These five words:

…as I have loved you.

Under the old, you loved others as yourself and if you didn’t have it in you to love others, perhaps because they hurt you, then you were a lawbreaker. But in the new, we receive the love of God and out of the overflow of that love we are empowered to love others.

See the difference?

Under the old, you provided the love, but in the new God supplies all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Love one another

The Apostle John was familiar with the Law of Christ:

This is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (1 John 3:11)

John heard the message from Jesus. He called it “his commandment” (1 John 3:23) or a “new commandment” (1 John 2:8). We don’t love one another to become the children of God; we love because we are the children of the God-who-is-love (1 John 4:8). As we receive our Father’s unqualified love, are we able to love others with the same abandon.

How do we love one another? Not through empty chatter and Facebook likes, but by caring and carrying each other in our troubles:

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Because Jesus carries you, you can carry others. Because Christ is with you in your trial, you can be with others in theirs. Because Christ has forgiven you, you can forgive others.

As Christ loved you

If you have been in church for any length of time, you have probably be told to love your neighbor as yourself. This command may even be hanging on your wall. If so, take it down immediately.

The command to love others as you love yourself is a death-dealing dictate. It will either feed your pride (look how loving I am!) or minister condemnation (I can’t love that sinner).

If you’ve been badly hurt, you will know how unreasonable it is to be told to love and forgive the one who hurt you. You’ll try to forgive them, but some things are just too hard.

There is a better way. Bring the broken pieces of your heart to Jesus and let him heal you. Tell him how bad it hurts. Receive his unconditional love and find rest in his arms.

Then as you begin your journey back to wholeness, pray for the one who hurt you. If you have no words to say, allow the Spirit of grace to guide you.

As you receive from the abundance of your Father’s love you will be healed, made whole, and empowered to love those who have wronged you.

What is the law of Christ? The law of Christ is the power of God that brings healing and restoration to all who receive his love. It is the grace to be loved and to love others in return.

In my next article I will list all the types of laws in the Bible. If you have wondered about the different laws, you won’t want to miss that one.

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More articles about the law.

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What is the Royal Law?

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What is the royal law? Do you need to keep it and what happens if you don’t?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. (James 2:8)

What is the royal law? It is the commandment to love others as you love yourself.

It sounds terrific. It isn’t. But first…

What makes this law a royal law?

Why is the command to love your neighbor a royal law? It is not a royal law because Jesus invented it. He didn’t. This law comes straight out of the Law of Moses:

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Lev. 19:18)

Nor is it a royal law because Jesus put his kingly seal of approval on it. Jesus mentioned this law on occasion (Matt. 19:19), but he spoke about other laws as well. He never said this one was particularly special, and he even added to it (see Matt. 5:43–44).

Nor is it a royal law in the sense that this law should rule you like a king. We are not under law.

So what makes the love-your-neighbor law a royal law? It is the king of laws because loving others fulfills all the other laws.

For the whole law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Gal. 5:14)

Keep this one law and you will keep all the laws.

So far so good.

The royal law in James 2

Go back to James and notice the if at the start of that verse.

The royal law of James 2v8

James is making a conditional statement. If you keep this law, you are doing well. Conditional statements are a hallmark of old covenant law and that’s what James is preaching here. In context, he is preaching the second commandment to law-loving Jewish people.

James: “Hey, it’s great if you love your neighbor, but if you are discriminating against poor people, you’re a law-breaker” (see Jas. 2:9–10).

Does this royal law have any relevance for us? It has none at all, for we are not under law but grace. We are to be led by the indwelling Spirit rather than ruled by external laws.

In the new covenant, we don’t love our neighbors because it’s a law but because God loves us and out of the overflow of his love for us we are able to love others.

But what about this verse:

He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. (Rom. 13:8)

There are two ways to read this. An old covenant mindset says, I had better love my neighbor so I can fulfill the law. But a new covenant mindset reads it as written. When we love others, we fulfill the law.

Which brings us to the most important question of all.

How do I love my neighbor?

How do I love my neighbor who voted for the wrong party?

How do I love my Muslim neighbor, my gay neighbor, or my vaxxed/unvaxxed neighbour?

And that’s just for starters. Jesus raised the bar when he said I must also love my enemies. How do I do that?

How do I love the jerk who bankrupted my business?

How do I love the adulterer who wrecked my marriage?

How do I love the drunk who killed my child?

How do you love the unlovable? The royal law can’t help you. It simply says you must love them as yourself.

Good luck with that.

Under the old covenant, you provided the love and whatever else was needed to fulfil the law, and if you couldn’t do it, you were condemned as a law-breaker.

Do you see how unfair this is?

Someone destroys your family or your business, and the law says you cannot pursue vengeance or bear a grudge, but you must love them as yourself.

It’s like trying to walk on water.

A new law

Like any old covenant law, the royal law is brutal and merciless. It demands that you do the impossible and condemns you when you fail.

Thank God for Jesus who gives us a new law for a new creation. Thank God for the law of Christ which says this:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. (John 13:34)

Jesus does not say “Love others as you love yourself.” He says, “Receive my love and out of the overflow of that love, you will be empowered to love others.”

It is a brand new kind of law and a brand new way to live.

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