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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

992. Faith Without Works Is Very Much Alive

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Someone who out-performs the majority of Christians with extraordinary works and extends compassion towards others outwardly, could do so with great consistency without ever having claimed to believe in Jesus Christ. They could demonstrate what appears to be fruitful behavior through their works and actions without having faith that brings justification.

On the other hand, a believer in Jesus Christ may have faith without demonstrating it outwardly in ways that we or certain religious people think that it should be expressed. But that doesn't mean they are not saved and justified. The effort to produce and then boast in works is not proof of faith. Faith is the evidence of that which is not seen. Perhaps this is why Paul said we look at what is not seen ... because justification and righteousness is granted to those who-do-not-work but believe in Him who justifies the ungodly.



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992. Faith Without Works Is Very Much Alive

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Someone who out-performs the majority of Christians with extraordinary works and extends compassion towards others outwardly, could do so with great consistency without ever having claimed to believe in Jesus Christ. They could demonstrate what appears to be fruitful behavior through their works and actions without having faith that brings justification.

On the other hand, a believer in Jesus Christ may have faith without demonstrating it outwardly in ways that we or certain religious people think that it should be expressed. But that doesn't mean they are not saved and justified. The effort to produce and then boast in works is not proof of faith. Faith is the evidence of that which is not seen. Perhaps this is why Paul said we look at what is not seen ... because justification and righteousness is granted to those who-do-not-work but believe in Him who justifies the ungodly.



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992. Faith Without Works Is Very Much Alive

by

Someone who out-performs the majority of Christians with extraordinary works and extends compassion towards others outwardly, could do so with great consistency without ever having claimed to believe in Jesus Christ. They could demonstrate what appears to be fruitful behavior through their works and actions without having faith that brings justification.

On the other hand, a believer in Jesus Christ may have faith without demonstrating it outwardly in ways that we or certain religious people think that it should be expressed. But that doesn't mean they are not saved and justified. The effort to produce and then boast in works is not proof of faith. Faith is the evidence of that which is not seen. Perhaps this is why Paul said we look at what is not seen ... because justification and righteousness is granted to those who-do-not-work but believe in Him who justifies the ungodly.



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976. Bearing God’s Fruit Without Law or Boasting (It’s Not Your Fruit)

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As we keep browsing through the later part of Paul's letter to the Galatians, notice the contrast between flesh and Spirit. To Paul's dismay, the Galatians had been baited into adding works and law to their faith in Christ. Paul was trying to pull them out of the ditch and steer them back onto the road less traveled ... walking by the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit, where there is no law. Interestingly, notice Paul's point about how the Jews who were encouraging circumcision were not successful law keepers ... but were seeking bragging rights in the fleshly works of the Gentiles because of their recruiting efforts:

"As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:12-14)



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976. Bearing God’s Fruit Without Law or Boasting (It’s Not Your Fruit)

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As we keep browsing through the later part of Paul's letter to the Galatians, notice the contrast between flesh and Spirit. To Paul's dismay, the Galatians had been baited into adding works and law to their faith in Christ. Paul was trying to pull them out of the ditch and steer them back onto the road less traveled ... walking by the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit, where there is no law. Interestingly, notice Paul's point about how the Jews who were encouraging circumcision were not successful law keepers ... but were seeking bragging rights in the fleshly works of the Gentiles because of their recruiting efforts:

"As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:12-14)



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975. How to Fulfill the Law of Moses (Good Luck!)

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Did Paul encourage the Galatians to keep the Mosaic law? In spite of the many church teachings we've been exposed to over the years, the answer is no. But one may ask, didn't Paul encourage his audience to work on loving their neighbor as themselves? Isn't this the key summary to people fulfilling that burdensome law? If we chop up one verse without the context, some may assume this is what he said. So let's zoom out and then take a closer look.

Not even this one law from the law could bring life or righteousness. It is not our goal to try to keep it or any lawful command attached with a condition. We have a new motivation as believers in Christ.

Paul begins to contrast the flesh with the Spirit. The flesh can sometimes look sinful and ugly, while at other times it may appear very religious and good outwardly. Jesus fulfilled the law; therefore, the better option is walking by the Spirit and being led by the Spirit in order to avoid all of the old and unprofitable law entirely ... including modernized versions of it.



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944. You Are Not Under Law but Under Grace (No “Balance” Required)

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The Christian religion has notoriously attempted to mix the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ with a hodgepodge of works-based rules and requirements that will vary with great extreme from one denominational brand to the next. Leapfrogging through various Bible verses which are often taken out of the context of the New Covenant can leave people in a place of uncertainty when it is based upon our doing instead of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Our conversation will examine the inconsistencies in mixing various aspects of old covenant law with the assurance we have in Christ by faith. Paul made a simple and yet profound statement that is easily overlooked: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14).



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911. Does Grace Empower People to Keep the Mosaic Law?

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A common teaching in the land of the legal is that the grace which brings salvation also enables believers to keep the commandments contained in the law. They will be careful to polish this so it sounds shiny and will make sense to the religious, works-based mindset. For example, they may say we're saved by grace and not by works ... but will then imply we're expected to embrace the Old Covenant law in our behavior.

So is this true? Are we meant to live by a ministry of condemnation which is contrary to us ... a ministry which strengthens sin and causes it to increase? It doesn't make sense that Jesus came to redeem Jews from the law—who then died to the law—and then have God resurrect the same law which couldn't give life and wasn't based on faith. When it comes to good works in our lives, God empowered us with something better ... not just Scriptures, not law-based commandments, but the power of His Spirit abiding in us.



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837. Our Works Are Not Our Own – We Have Nothing to Boast About

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You’ll catch a few headlines about grace through faith where religion rules, but far too often the focus becomes about our works and what we do to try and get closer to God, increase a fleshly morality, etc. We continue this week on the subject of faith compared to works … and how Paul pointed out on more than one occasion in his writings that we who are in Christ have nothing to boast within ourselves. Nada. Zero.

The good works that flow through us are because we’re in Him … and He is in us. The Spirit of God produces His fruit. We are His workmanship. It’s a resting place where Jesus is our peace, having freed the world from a ministry of impossible commandments and ordinances that were preventing people from attaining right-standing with God.



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

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“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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637. Summarizing the Scripture (Part 8): The Law in A Nutshell – More Sin, Death and Condemnation

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Frequently we’ll find church doctrines and teachings encouraging believers to cling to a law of works, found within the commandments of the Old Covenant. The problem with this? New Covenant writings reveal why the law was given to Israel (and not to us who are Gentiles). Those commands within the law caused sin to increase (not decrease). It was a ministry that killed and condemned. The law demanded perfection but was powerless to provide the ability to attain it. It once had glory, but came to an end, where the glory faded, and now has no glory at all. Why? Because of the surpassing glory ministry of the Spirit of God, which replaced the requirements written on ink and on stone. We are now in the life of Christ, we’re empowered by the Spirit of Grace where new life flows and the fruit of the Spirit is produced, apart from the works of the law.



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561. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 18): In Him – Fruit, Friends, Unburdensome

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As Jesus looked ahead to the New Covenant, He shared with His disciples that they would have the ability to bear the fruit that only God is able to produce. He said He would no longer call them servants, but friends. He also shared about the power to love through His new commands that would not be burdensome, unlike the law and commandments that came through the law found in the first covenant given to Israel. This is about abiding in Him. How do we do that? We talk about it on this week's program.



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