Jesus – Page 5

855. Full Assurance of Faith Compared to “Scary” Bible Verses

May 8, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

The writer of the book of Hebrews is providing his Jewish audience with a revelation of how the sacrifice of Jesus did what the previous covenant could not. Jesus established a new and different covenant resulting in sins being taken away forever—to be remembered no more by God. It brought a new and living way, resulting in people being perfected, sanctified and declared holy. It has allowed for entrance with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

Within these many chapters of the letter which argue a case for all of this and more, the legal eagles will still try to turn your attention to a single Bible verse or two which seem to contradict the good news writings leading up to it … when not understood in the proper context. We take a look at Hebrews 10:26 to shine some light and erase the fear.

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856. Sin Happened. Feeling Condemned? Grace Says No!

May 8, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

Traditional Christianity has largely taught people to develop a consciousness (or constant awareness) of sin and sinful behavior. When one falls or fails, they have been programmed by empty religion to confess their wrongdoing and seek/beg God for forgiveness yet one more time, vowing to try harder never to do it again. This is like a dark shadow of the obsolete Old Covenant, where there was no escape from such a bondage.

Jesus flipped the Script and was able to free people from a sin consciousness and bring eternal redemption and forgiveness “for all time” through one finished sacrifice. This resulted in no condemnation for anyone who is in Christ Jesus. What a victory for us to learn more about and to grow in our understanding. What about the challenges with the flesh? We talk about it on this week’s program.

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851. The Blood of the New Covenant

March 20, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

Blood was a big deal in the Old Covenant which came by way of Moses. The entire law and everything that came with it was dedicated with blood. It turns out it was just symbolic for something far superior that would come later—the blood of Jesus. The writer of Hebrews points out the contrasts in how the first covenant was incapable of bringing what the people needed. The New Covenant established with the blood of Jesus would remedy everything necessary that the first covenant could not. And it would be available for the entire world.

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850. Old Covenant: Purified Flesh (Dead Works); New Covenant: Purified Conscience

March 13, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

The law of works left people in a state of hopelessness through a system of failed commandment-keeping and repeated animal sacrifices seeking more and more forgiveness. Jesus offered Himself one time to free people from that ministry of condemnation which could only attempt to make the flesh look polished. But the flesh profits nothing and the works were dead. Jesus ushered in a better covenant where His blood sealed the deal—and it all began after His earthly ministry with His death.

Eternal redemption. Eternal Spirit. He did it all.

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849. Jesus Secured an Eternal Redemption (Hebrews 9)

March 6, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

We’re back to discussing the surety of our forgiveness contained within the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews provides us with many contrasts, comparing the Old Covenant to the New. The law of regulations contained within the old, obsolete covenant was not able to provide what God required from the Jewish people.

The old way involved ceremonial repetitions which could not permanently address the issue of sin and its consequences, whereas Jesus entered once into a holy place—not a copy made with human hands, and not with the blood of animals—but with His own blood He obtained and secured an “eternal redemption.” Those suggesting that one can lose this gift have failed to realize the power and effectiveness of the finished work of Christ—who has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

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848. 17th Anniversary Program – Part 3

February 27, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

This is our 3rd and final program reflecting on our 17 years of doing the Growing in Grace podcast ... and some of the primary subjects that have dominated our conversations. Much of what we talk about will be the opposite of what people hear throughout most church buildings. Just one example: In the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, you are never asked to give your life to Him. He came to give His life to you! Turning certain traditional mindsets inside out will help people begin to understand a more complete truth of the gospel.

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847. 17th Anniversary Program – Part 2

February 20, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

We continue to reminisce on our 17th anniversary of doing the weekly Growing in Grace podcast. Have you ever taken a look back at the circumstances of your life and began to realize how God may have been orchestrating some of the seemingly smallest matters … which would later shape and form some of the most significant things in your earthly life? It’s something we can relate to, especially when it comes to how the podcast came to be.

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846. 17th Anniversary Program – Part 1

February 13, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

In the year of our Lord, 2005 A.D., we were asked to begin a 15-minute Internet Radio Program, and we had no plans on doing a long-term weekly podcast. Now 17 years later, we take a look back at how it all started in our humble beginnings … and how it has grown into tens of thousands of weekly downloads from multiple countries around the world from people wanting to know God in an authentic way. We also reveal how we’re about to break one of our long-standing rules for future podcasts —one which we’ve abided by for all of our programs—until now.

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845. Jesus Put Away Sin Once for All

February 6, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

The book of Hebrews explains how Jesus put sin away by the sacrifice of Himself. He accomplished something the blood of animals could never do in the first covenant and even before that—sins were taken away, once for all. Let’s think this through. When did this happen? And prior to the cross, how many sins had you committed? Did Jesus only remove the sins of the world up to the moment He died? If so, Hebrews 9 explains that this would mean He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world. Jesus isn’t shedding any more blood, and this is great news for us.

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843. The One and Only True Promise Keeper

January 23, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

There are thousands of works-based religions which will put an emphasis on people making promises to God and trying hard to keep them. This turns the gospel inside-out, because the good news is not based upon our good actions or our sorrows for sins. The New Covenant is based upon God’s promise to us. A promise that will never be broken by God … and a covenant that can never be broken by us.

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839. Forgiven and Delivered From the Power of Darkness

December 26, 2021 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

In spite of whatever struggles and challenges come our way within this fallen world, God has declared us forgiven and that we have been delivered from the power of darkness. God has transferred us into His kingdom, it’s His blood that resulted in forgiveness, redemption, and has brought us peace.

As we begin to understand that the knowledge of His will was to bring all of these good things to us as an inheritance, we can live within the light of Jesus Christ where the fruit of God abounds. His strength in us is what we reply upon, not our willpower. It’s all about Christ in us—the mystery revealed.

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838. Forgiven, Not Condemned – By the Riches of His Grace

December 19, 2021 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

As believers in Christ, there is no condemnation at all, unlike there was for Jewish people who were in a works-based covenant which depended on their (failed) attempts at commandment-keeping. They were stuck in a state of condemnation within a ministry unable to provide life or righteousness. Out of 613 commands within the old law, Paul gave an example from the Ten that God engraved … and how he ended up coveting more when trying to live by the rule of “you shall not covet.” That’s not good news.

Long before the law, Adam was only given one (1) command … and failed to keep it. Paul explained it’s because we’re “In Him” that we have redemption, and it’s through His blood we have an eternal forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Everything about this gospel is based on the work of Jesus. Don’t allow religion to plant doubt and fear by making it about you.

During the podcast we made mention of a previous podcast entitled, "How Can I Know That God Has Forgiven Me?" That was episode 820, and you can listen to it here.