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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

1060. Dodging the ‘Doing’ Dilemma and Walking in the Spirit

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It's good to do good. Works can certainly become an important part of our lives in Christ. But how we are positioned with God is not based on what we do (or don't do). Our eternal redemption and our identity of righteousness is based on what Jesus did for us through a finished work that He fulfilled. Nothing can separate us from that love. The Jewish people under the (now obsolete) Mosaic law were pursuing the master blueprint of good works—but it resulted in bearing fruit for death and the increase of sin. The fruit of works may have looked pretty good to the human eye, but it was plastic, dead fruit.

As a new creation living in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit isn't rooted in trying to prove our identity by behavior and works ... and all of those church activities. We can only bear the fruit the Spirit produces through us. It is a place of freedom and peace, and it occurs apart from law and religious obligation.



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815. Ungodly People Justified With Righteousness – Apart From Self-Improvement

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Christian believers have frequently fallen into the religious trap of thinking they are identified as “just a sinner” who needs to keep working harder at becoming something they think they have not attained yet. The mindset established is that they are “hungering and thirsting” for righteousness while working to make behavioral improvements in order to become “more righteous” and gradually coming to a place where they will (hopefully) make themselves more acceptable to God.

While lifestyle and changes in behavior can be a positive thing in this life, it has nothing to do with who God has declared you to already be as His child—having inherited His very nature and now gaining access to all things pertaining to life and godliness. The idea that we are trying to climb a spiritual ladder of self-improvement is a fairy tale which leaves people in the same hopeless position as those who were under the law in the faulty first covenant. It leads to one of two dead end streets: self-righteous hypocrisy or guilt and condemnation. Jesus did the work so we could live in a place of peace and rest.



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701. Born Identity: You Have Been Perfected

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It’s been said that “nobody is perfect.” While that may be true from a behavioral perspective, it shouldn’t be confused with who God has already made us to be as believers in Jesus Christ. You have been perfected, not by how well you perform or by the things you do, but by what Jesus did on our behalf. Perfection was a necessary requirement, but we will never achieve this status based upon our works and behavior. While behavior improvement can gradually take place in our lives and result in good and positive results - it has nothing to do with having already been perfected in Him. Growing in our understanding that Jesus has already made us inwardly complete will likely result in beneficial, outward changes with what we do. But we should avoid getting this backwards or it will lead to frustration, guilt and fear. God demanded perfection, not progress. Therefore, He provided a Substitute, not a goal.

We borrowed the last part above from our friends at The Grace Cafe Podcast, and we mentioned them on this podcast. We recommend that you give them a listen!



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576. The Will of God – It Has Been Done

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The writer of Hebrews reflects upon a prophetic passage from the Psalms where we find a body was prepared for Jesus. Why? Sacrifices and burnt offerings God did not desire and He did not take any pleasure In them. The prophecy looked ahead to Christ coming to do the will of God by the sacrifice of Himself. By this offering, He took away the first covenant made with Israel, including the law, and established a second covenant. This resulted in our eternal salvation and sanctification. It was God’s will to bring an end to the need for further sacrifice.



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576. The Will of God – It Has Been Done

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The writer of Hebrews reflects upon a prophetic passage from the Psalms where we find a body was prepared for Jesus. Why? Sacrifices and burnt offerings God did not desire and He did not take any pleasure In them. The prophecy looked ahead to Christ coming to do the will of God by the sacrifice of Himself. By this offering, He took away the first covenant made with Israel, including the law, and established a second covenant. This resulted in our eternal salvation and sanctification. It was God’s will to bring an end to the need for further sacrifice.



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568. The New Covenant: It’s Not About Us

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The Old Covenant which Israel was under would put the spotlight upon the people and their sin, behavior and dedication in trying to keeping the law. The New Covenant which began after the death of Christ would not be like the first covenant when the Israelites came out of Egypt. Many believers have the erroneous mindset that Christianity has to do with our performance getting better and sinning less in order to become more set apart and accepted by God. Fortunately, the second covenant is something God would make with Himself, because He could swear by no one greater. Whereas fault was found with the people not holding up their end of the agreement with the Old Covenant, it is God who will uphold the New.



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