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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

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

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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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806. The 800 Club: Looking Back – Sanctification – It Is Finished

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Since our 800th program, we’ve been looking back at some of our most essential conversations when it comes to being established in the knowledge of the truth. One piece of good news that seems to elude religious folks is that our sanctification is not a work in progress, but was completed by Jesus Christ and gifted to us as a new creation in Him. Works-based religion yearns to try and make the gospel about what we do, thereby putting us in the spotlight instead of where it belongs—on the finished work of Jesus. They will dress it up to appear humble enough by saying salvation is an instant gift, but sanctification is a gradual process which we get to participate in through self-improvement while establishing some sort of moral high ground.

God makes it clear there is no boasting when it comes to our sanctification because it’s something Jesus already took care of for us, leaving no doubt that we’ve already been declared holy and set apart. Israel wasn’t able to achieve this by works and commandments … and we can’t either. We can rest from that effort and believe Jesus did enough to complete the job. Being sanctified isn’t something we’re trying to become, it’s who we are and part of our new identity in Him.



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709. Born Identity: You Are a Saint

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The world tends to view saints as people who are rewarded for good behavior. That’s not how God sees it.

While most believers in Christ are being told in no uncertain terms - week after week - that they are nothing but dirty, rotten sinners, we find God identifying you as something quite the opposite… holy. It’s part of the inheritance you have received.



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703. Born Identity: You Are Sanctified

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Hollow religious teaching will declare you’re saved by grace (justified), but being sanctified is a gradual, progressive, life-long process which must work at in order to become more set apart before they reach the finish line . It’s time to change our thinking. Consider that through the cross God has already gifted you with sanctification and this is the starting line. Whew! It’s the ultimate head-start, and now you can run from here.



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680. 1 John 1:9 (Part 4) No Longer Asking for What Has Already Been Given (Forgiveness)

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This week we reflect on a relatively small number of scriptural passages which confirm our forgiveness in Jesus Christ. It’s “forever forgiveness” that occurred through one righteous act at the cross of Jesus Christ. His blood not only brought a permanent forgiveness of all sins (past, present and future), but cleansed us from all unrighteousness. The work of Jesus has already brought us the gift of justification, righteousness and sanctification. In him we are new, alive, clean, holy, perfected and so much more. In addition to our previous programs in this series, part of our goal is to help believers understand that the context of 1 John 1:9 was not meant for us to keep trying to remember all of our sins, mistakes and shortcomings in order to try confessing all of them be forgiven again. The church has failed to realize this keeps people in a sin consciousness which Jesus came to free people from. It only brings a temporary emotional release from guilt, leaving people with a false identity by thinking they are just sinners who can’t seem to overcome. A better way to living in victory is placing faith in what Jesus did, and that it was more than enough.



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654. Sharing the Gospel with Others (Part 2)

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Following up on last week’s program, we discuss some thoughts about effective ways to communicate the simple gospel message. It may be with someone who has never claimed to be a believer, or it may be someone from your church who has been bound by external religion. The message of God’s grace and unconditional love has changed how we communicate the good news. Many times, well-meaning Christians will tell people the gift of eternal life is free, but after the gift is received, a list of “Christian stuff” is handed to them, telling them all the things they need to do from now on (or the things to avoid). We’ve learned through our growth in grace that a better approach will be to let believers know who they (already) are now in Christ so they can grasp the new identity they have inherited. In Him they have become partakers of the divine nature and are considered holy, righteous, forgiven, sanctified, and much more.



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625. Justified Now! Sanctified Eventually?

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The religious business is well known for finding a way to put pressure on people to perform. The motivation to do so will vary by church denomination, but they all lead to robbing people of fully experiencing the grace and peace that God delivered to us through Jesus Christ. One script that is commonly found is the idea that believers are now justified through the cross, but being sanctified (set apart) is a lifelong process that gradually occurs through behavior improvement. It’s promoted in a way so that the responsibility falls upon us to seek self-improvement with God’s help, which will hopefully make us more holy, set apart, acceptable, etc. While improved behavior is a good thing, it shouldn’t be identified or confused with the work of sanctification, which God already provided by placing us in Christ Jesus.



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618. Mistaken Identity

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Some words and phrases that we find within many corners of Christianity can end up bringing a mindset that that leaves people needlessly hungering and thirsting, while they seek some sort of new wave or movement from God that will make things better. Some of these Christian vocabulary words will lead to a case of mistaken identity. “Revival,” “backslidden Christian,” “rededicating your life to God…” Phrases such as these do not define the true identity we have as believers in Christ and should not be part of our mindset, because we’re now defined as righteous, holy, perfected, sanctified, and much more. It’s not up to us! His life in us is more than what is needed. He is the head of the body; Jesus is alive and well, and so are you in Him!



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607. Forgiveness Complete! Now Empowered to Walk in Newness of Life

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The issue of the forgiveness of all sins has been fully dealt with once and for all by Christ at the cross. Does this mean we should use our freedom as an opportunity to seek after sin? Of course not! We’ve been baptized into Christ Jesus and into His death (not to be confused with water baptism). One who has died has been set free from sin and we are no longer spiritual slaves to it. We were also raised with Him in order that we can walk in newness of life - the life of God that has been gifted to us. God’s grace now empowers us to live in a way that reflects the righteousness of God. Living in the reality of this will become easier as you begin to understand the identity of who God has already made you to be. As a forgiven, holy, perfected, and sanctified child of the King, we should now consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.



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607. Forgiveness Complete! Now Empowered to Walk in Newness of Life

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The issue of the forgiveness of all sins has been fully dealt with once and for all by Christ at the cross. Does this mean we should use our freedom as an opportunity to seek after sin? Of course not! We’ve been baptized into Christ Jesus and into His death (not to be confused with water baptism). One who has died has been set free from sin and we are no longer spiritual slaves to it. We were also raised with Him in order that we can walk in newness of life - the life of God that has been gifted to us. God’s grace now empowers us to live in a way that reflects the righteousness of God. Living in the reality of this will become easier as you begin to understand the identity of who God has already made you to be. As a forgiven, holy, perfected, and sanctified child of the King, we should now consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.



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591. Separating True Sanctification from Behavioral Choices

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Religion without life, will seek to pursue a right-standing with God through attempts of self-improvement, and a variety of other works-based methods. Even within Christianity, belief systems will try to make this all about our ability to make ourselves progressively more sanctified and acceptable before a perfect and holy God. The problem with this? We can’t attain a more righteous position than what God has already brought to us through His Son. The standard God demanded was perfection, but not by giving it our best effort to keep certain commandments or other moral codes that will always fall short. Jesus is alive, accepted, perfect, holy, sanctified, righteous, and sinless… And as believers in Christ, “as He is, so also are we in this world.”



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590. Good News About Sanctification

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Throughout Christianity, the word “gospel” can mean many different things to different people. Ultimately, it boils down to “good news” that was first meant for the nation of Israel. The news they needed to hear was that a replacement of the law and commandments was about to occur. What would it take its place? Faith, righteousness, forgiveness, holiness and sanctification would be gifted to people apart from our own works. Where are these things found? Not through our efforts of obedience, but in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the replacement and our destination. We have arrived “in Him” through belief in what He has completely finished on our behalf.



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