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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

793. Paul’s Proclamation: Justified by Believing (16th Anniversary Program)

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We reminisce just a little bit as we look back on 16 years of doing the Growing in Grace podcast … And then we jump back into Paul’s declarations about the gospel of grace through faith. We’re in Romans 10 this week, where Paul continues his consistent flow of the message in his letter, pointing out how Christ became the end of the law (works) for all who believe. He compares how Moses wrote about righteousness through a law that required people to actually do it (but all fell short).

That is contrasted with righteousness which is based upon faith, not works—confessing a word of faith by mouthing Jesus as Lord and believing with the heart God raised Him from the dead, resulting in righteousness (or justification) and salvation. And over and over again, Paul reveals it works the same for both Jew and Greek: Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Be aware of a works-based message being thrown into the mix with requirements which are made to put the responsibility upon you regarding salvation or God’s acceptance.



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792. Paul’s Proclamation: Dead to the Law – No Condemnation

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In Romans 7 and 8, Paul explains how the Jews had formerly been in a marriage relationship with the law of commandments, where Moses served as the best man at the ceremony. But they were made to die to the law through the body of Christ and became free to marry another (Jesus). The law of works never brought a reduction of sin, but resulted in the arousal of sinful passions, bearing fruit to death. Now having been freed from the law, they could begin serving in the newness of the Spirit and not through the old way of writings and letters. The end result would be no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

And yet, many Jewish believers struggled with grasping these truths, wrestling with letting go of a law which couldn’t bring life or righteousness, tempted to pursue the fleshly way of works through a stone tablet ministry which left them in condemnation. And what about Gentiles? How would these (formerly) unclean people fit into the message of Jesus … and would they be required to apply the law? Paul explains the Gentiles would receive righteousness without even pursuing it—because of faith. Whereas the Jews would fall short of righteousness because they were seeking it not by faith, but by works.



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791. Paul’s Proclamation: God Justifies the Ungodly – by Blood

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Paul repeatedly makes the case in his letters for the gospel of grace, opposing a works-based gospel for justification. This week, we’re in Romans, where Paul explained that believers now have peace with God. Why? Because we’ve changed our behavior in order to make ourselves acceptable? No, that road will leave people disoriented and confused, unsure of where they stand with God. We have peace because we’ve been justified by faith through the Lord Jesus Christ—He is the only door by which we enter. Faith. Not works.

Christ died for people at their weakest point and demonstrated His love by dying for the ungodly, bringing justification by His blood and reconciling us to Himself, saved from His wrath and saved by His life. The good news of this grace is what motivated Paul to encourage believers with this hope … and went against nearly all of the other religious messages to which they had been exposed. Now that we’re under grace and not a works-based religious system, we have a new motivation and purpose for producing good works.



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790. Paul’s Proclamation: Justified by Faith, Apart From Works

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Many of the early Jewish church leaders were teaching a different gospel than what the Apostle Paul would deliver after he was taught for several years—not by man—but by revelation from God. It seemed to be a natural assumption by many in the Jewish community of believers to “mix” the old law with faith in Jesus in order to attain a place of righteousness and justification. Paul would declare over and over that the old law of commands was brought to an end and replaced with faith (in Christ) apart from works. 

We’ve recently spent many weeks in a series about Paul and James, highlighting the struggles in the early church and how Paul was battling to free people from a perverted gospel being communicated to both Jew and Gentile. Now we’ll be looking at some of Paul’s letters and passages which specifically make the case for salvation and right standing with God, received as a gift, apart from the works of the law inside of a new and better covenant. The “work” was performed by Jesus and His blood sealed the deal.



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789. Paul Persecuted – for Teaching Against the Law and the Temple

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It’s often assumed Paul was persecuted because he believed in Jesus. But the bulk of Paul’s persecution came from Jews who opposed his teachings about salvation and righteousness coming by faith alone, apart from works, and that Jews had been freed and redeemed from the Mosaic law through the finished work of Jesus. Even the early church leadership (James and others) believed there was a different gospel for Jew and Gentile, and many believing Jews still assumed Gentiles were considered unclean—as the law declared. Keep them away from the temple so it wouldn’t be defiled!

During the early decades after the resurrection, when the church was still growing in their knowledge of the truth, even the apostles didn’t completely understand the fullness of the gospel, although God’s Spirit would reveal things to them … often from what we call the Old Testament—the only Scriptures they could reference. Paul and some of his companions were a major force in sharing the more complete truth of what was accomplished through the blood of the cross—for both Jew and Gentile.

The church today continues to struggle with a mixed message of faith and religious rules, while trying to establish theology and doctrine based upon their own assumptions about the Bible writings. Just as in the early years of the church, we’re not growing in the knowledge of “the Bible,” but we’re all growing in the knowledge of the truth found in the Person of Jesus Christ, as we receive it from the Holy Spirit.



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788. James and the Elders Encourage Paul to Deny What He Was Teaching

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The Apostle Paul declared over and over again that the law which came through Moses was something Gentiles had no part of and Jews had also been freed from its impossible demands. It could not bring life, but had a purpose of death and condemnation, having been replaced by a more glorious ministry of the Spirit. James and the elders from the Jerusalem church had very little problem with Gentiles not being required to try to keep most of the law—because they had never been under it. But James and his council viewed Jews differently and with an attitude of superiority, even after the cross, which resulted in believing they had a different gospel with a different set of rules which were rooted in that law for justification.

They rejoiced that Gentiles were coming to Jesus, but stumbled over Paul’s teachings that the Jews who lived among the Gentiles should also “forsake Moses.” James and the elders ordered Paul to publicly denounce the accusations against him by saying he believes in keeping the law … and to do this by participating in an old covenant purification ceremony—as if the blood of Jesus was not enough. In other words, they wanted Paul to deny what he had been teaching about grace through faith, apart from works of the law.



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Happy New Year – The Best Is Yet To Come!

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Who’s ready to leap into 2021??? I know 2020 was challenging, far beyond what any of us would have ever imagined. Even devastating for many who lost loved ones, who lost jobs, who lost homes… I want you to know you are in our prayers. I hope you realize that God would never send a […]

787. The Evidence Mounts: James Touted Law – 30 Years After the Cross

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While continuing our series on Paul and James, and faith compared to works, we spend some time this week summarizing what we’ve been covering. Since our short weekly programs are chopped up, we wanted to review some of what has been covered so far in order to help connect the dots on the tremendous struggle that is revealed in New Testament writings during those early years of the church. And what was that struggle? Most of the early church leadership—including James—believed the law was still meant to be a part of the equation for Jewish believers … and many were perverting the gospel by trying to burden believing Gentiles with portions of the law.

We also take a look at more evidence where James and the elders in Jerusalem convince Paul to participate in an old covenant exercise where ceremony and sacrifice would occur in order to show the Jews that Paul was also a law keeper and had not forsaken Moses. This event from Acts 21 would have been nearly 3 decades after the cross, and about 20 years after James wrote his Bible letter. More to come!



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Exposing the Enemy

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Mystical Theories About the Devil

It’s amazing how much myth surrounds teaching about the devil, and how much has been accepted as truth without question.

Most of what people believe is based on other people’s experiences or the insights of those who profess to know more about the devil than the Bible reveals. This inevitably denies the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and causes the gospel to be powerless in our lives.

We must not believe things that are not clearly substantiated in Scripture. We should never base truth on assumption.

There are popular books about the devil. They make great novels but are not scripturally true.

Who and What the Devil Is Not

Most mythical beliefs about the devil are theories based on who people believe him to be in his original state and rob God of His glory and power, ultimately exalting Satan’s power.
One theory is that the devil was the worship leader in heaven with supreme authority as the covering cherub.

“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” —Ezekiel 28:14 (KJV)

This theory also suggests Satan was the one who covered the throne of God, making him the one closest to God. Let’s look at what is actually revealed in the scriptures.

“No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father….“ —John 1:18 (AMP)

This scripture is clear that Jesus is the One who has always been in the bosom and intimate presence of the Father— face to face with God—throughout eternity.

Another undermining theory is that Satan still has authority or power over people on earth. It includes that sinning gives the devil the legal right to attack believers. We call it “opening the door to the devil.”

This has undermined the faith of thousands and strengthened legalism, law and performance righteousness in people’s lives.

Generational Curses

Many believe in generational curses. This makes the power of God of no effect in our lives.
Jesus delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and translated us to the kingdom of his Son (Col. 1:13).

After His resurrections, Jesus said to his disciples, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Mat. 28:18). He didn’t say “some power” nor “EXCEPT for when you sin.”

Authority and power is not ours to relinquish. Satan has no degree of power on earth. Jesus is the only authority.

Paul’s Answer to Satan’s Authority

Paul countered all the error and said that God is the One who makes us able (qualifies us) to
be partakers of the inheritance, through Jesus.

“Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.” — Colossians 1:12 (AMPC)

Nothing we do can qualify or disqualify us. God alone qualifies us.

Delivered, Reconciled and Complete

Jesus delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His Son (Col. 1:13).

God has made peace with us, reconciled us (made friends with us), and we are presented Holy, unblameable and unreprovable in His sight (Col. 1:20-22).

In Jesus, God is the One who makes us complete, perfect and safe from the devil (Col. 2:8-10).

“Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!”—1 John 4:4

The cross has reconnected us to the power of God that has established us in God’s never-ending love. This is the power to resist the onslaught of the enemy. Learn the truth that exposes the devil for who he really is. Completely overpowered, captured and displayed as totally stripped of all authority and power on the earth.

Spoiled Principalities and Powers

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” — Colossians 2:13-15

In ancient times, there were two kinds of victory — when the enemy flees from you, and when the enemy is captured.

The victor paraded the defeated king in the streets with their thumbs and big toes cut off, proving they would never be able to stand or hold a weapon against you again.

Satan has been totally overpowered, captured and displayed—stripped of all power on the earth—with no right to work in our lives, no matter what!

The post Exposing the Enemy appeared first on Arthur Meintjes.

785. Growing in Knowledge (Bible Authors Didn’t Know Everything)

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In Acts Chapter 10, when Peter had his vision from God directing him to reach out to Gentiles, historians estimate it occurred anywhere from 5 to 15 years after the resurrection of Jesus. Although Peter was being used mightily by God in multiple ways, there was much he didn’t understand when it came to the gospel. The apostles were not all seeing and all knowing – they were humans who were growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Up until this time, Peter thought he and other Jews were still under the requirement to follow the law of Moses, even though he was preaching Jesus for people to be saved. Through this experience, he came to realize the gospel was meant not only for Jews, but for Gentiles who had no relationship with the law.

Things like food and Gentiles, which had been considered unclean or unacceptable under law, God now had declared to be clean. But imagine if Peter had written letters to believers and church folks which ended up in the Bible before he had this revelation about freedom from law. Undoubtedly, his writings would have looked much different and inconsistent with what the Apostle Paul was communicating in his letters. The book of James is considered to likely be the oldest New Testament writing (or the first) after Jesus rose. Like most Jews, James had a similar assumption about the law when he wrote his letter – much like Peter did. And this continues our series about the subject of Paul, James and justification.



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783. Opposing Views from Paul and James: What Now?

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As our series continues regarding the apparent differences between Paul and James on the subject of justification, this week's program results in a spontaneous conversation which discusses what it means if they did actually view some things in an opposing fashion. As we've personally concluded in recent weeks, Paul and James were not in perfect harmony with their statements and we review some possible reasons why this could have been the case.

The letter James wrote to Jews who were scattered throughout the region is believed to be the earliest book written in the New Testament after the resurrection. During this period of time, James believed the Mosaic law was still in place and that individual works played a factor in being justified. We've seen evidence of this in the book of Acts, Galatians, and his own letter. Bible teachers will panic if this is true and will fear it invalidates the entire Bible. That’s why they feel the need to corroborate their preconceived assumptions that P&J couldn’t have possibly been in disagreement. But maybe we've just been inaccurately assuming some things about these written pages that have us missing a bigger point.



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782. Paul Opposed Peter to His Face

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In Galatians Chapter 2 we find the story as told by Paul about how he opposed Peter to his face … and in front of other people of whom he considered to be hypocrites. You see, Peter would live like the Gentiles (apart from the law) and he would hang-out with them, which God had revealed was perfectly fine. But when certain men from James showed up, Peter would separate himself from the Gentiles for fear of these people and their lawful doctrine which opposed the truth of the gospel. It’s as if Paul was telling Peter he should know better than to try to blend in with the Jewish hypocrites, including false brethren who were deceiving Gentiles into believing they needed portions of the law to be mixed with faith in Jesus.

 We can begin to clearly see Paul’s writings reflect an opposition to the teachings brought forth from some of those that were associated with the church in Jerusalem, where James was considered a leader. The letter written to the Galatians is centered around the freedom both Jew and Gentile have in the New Covenant, and it was a different gospel than what was coming from the Jerusalem church.



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