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Clash of the Covenants – new book from Mike

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The brand new book, Clash of the Covenants - Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee, from Growing in Grace co-host Mike Kapler is now available for Kindle on Amazon!  Remember, you don't need a Kindle in order to read.  Download the Kindle app on your computer, tablet or smartphone. 

GOD IS NOT YOUR PAROLE OFFICER, HE BROKE YOU OUT OF PRISON!

Have you been robbed by religion? Have you ever wondered where you really stood with God? For everyone trapped in a mindset of wondering whether God is angry or disappointed with them due to a lack of performance or dedication, help is on the way. In fact, it already arrived more than a couple thousand years ago.

Christian churches are filled with people who have been hearing Bible teaching built upon a foundation of mixing together two very different covenants that are not alike. Frequently embraced in most Christian circles, the practice of combining the old and new covenants has resulted in a diluted version of the gospel. This religious formula has caused many to avoid the institutional church altogether, often puts them in a state of confusion, and leaves them hungering and thirsting for a new identity of righteousness, unaware it has already been provided.

The current reality of unconditional love, peace, freedom, forgiveness, and everything else that is good, has been gifted to us by God's grace through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is the message most people have been longing to experience, but it may require a complete change of mind from a lifetime of traditional church doctrines that have left many drowning in guilt and feeling as though they are in a state of bondage. God has provided a way of escape from the burdensome religious business—it is through a New Covenant where it is impossible for us to fail, because Jesus is the mediator and guarantee of this better covenant, and it has been established on better promises.

563. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Conclusion): Hunger and Thirst No More

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The subject of hungering and thirsting for more of God is an excellent example of being able to see where Jesus would speak of two completely different covenants during His ministry. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). He wasn't speaking to believers of today, but to Jewish people stuck in a system of hopelessness and despair. They were not blessed because they hungered, but because eventually the hunger and thirst would be satisfied. As believers in Christ, we no longer hunger or thirst for God or His righteousness. How do we know this? Later in the book of John, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."



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562. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 19): In Him – The New Ministry of the Spirit of God

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Although much of Jesus' ministry was for those under the law of the first covenant, He also shared about some things to come when the New Covenant would begin after His death. Jesus spoke of how He would go away and the Holy Spirit would come to help us. So what are some of the things the Spirit helps us with? We take a look at just a few examples that will hopefully bring some peace and comfort to you.



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562. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 19): In Him – The New Ministry of the Spirit of God

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Although much of Jesus' ministry was for those under the law of the first covenant, He also shared about some things to come when the New Covenant would begin after His death. Jesus spoke of how He would go away and the Holy Spirit would come to help us. So what are some of the things the Spirit helps us with? We take a look at just a few examples that will hopefully bring some peace and comfort to you.



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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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560. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 17): Who Was Jesus Speaking To?

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The assumption is often made that the teachings of Jesus were intended for us believers. But He clearly stated He was sent to minister only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. So the religious mindset within Christianity will conclude that after the cross, we were meant to abide by or adhere to all of the teachings of Jesus because they think we were invited into a Jewish covenant. The problem with this? People will pick and choose what they think should be applied, while ignoring other parts. Old Covenant law was never meant for us Gentiles and the Jews would also come to be redeemed from it. But when Jesus points towards the New Covenant, we find it leads to a place of ceasing from a works-based effort at attaining redemption and brings us to a place of rest and peace.



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559. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 16): I Will Give You Rest

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In recent programs during our series, we've looked at some of the seemingly harsh and heavy teachings Jesus ministered to the people of Israel. You may have noticed how Jesus would often seem rather hard and demanding while at other times He would minister with grace and compassion. Did He have a split personality? Was He contradicting Himself? Of course we know this is not the case, so what did it all mean? It has to do with which covenant was being communicated. When Jesus told people that His yoke was easy and His burden was light, He was opening the door for them to enter into the rest offered by a New Covenant that would soon be available to them.



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558. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 15): The New Way: No Condemnation

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Although Jesus often ministered despair and hopelessness by elevating the Mosaic law, there were times when He would provide samples of the approaching New Covenant. Even though the "New" would not be in effect until after His death, we see examples of the gospel being served, such as the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery. The purpose of the old commandments was to minister condemnation and death. This woman received a taste of unconditional love mixed with mercy and grace, while her accusers walked away speechless.



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557. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 14): Carry Your Cross & Try to Save Yourself

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Many Christians will look at the teachings of Jesus as though He were speaking directly to believers of today, when much of the time He was speaking to Jews under the law. By looking through the lens of the Old Covenant, we can begin to see quite often where Jesus said some things that were never meant to be a life application for us in the New Covenant. In fact, we'll discover Jesus was attempting to show His Jewish followers how they simply could not live up to the requirements that it would take to truly be His disciple and inherit eternal life. One of these examples is when Jesus referred to them carrying their own cross. It has become a modern-day religious talking point, but it's clear Jesus never meant for us to carry our own cross when He said, "Whoever tries to save their life will lose it."



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554. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 11): Ministering First to Jews Under the Law

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It is a dangerous doctrine to assume Jesus was usually ministering a message directed at future believers who would be under the New Covenant. Jesus came to proclaim a message for Israelites first, not to those of us who were born as (non-Jewish) Gentiles. He was born under the law to redeem those who were under the law. Righteousness was never meant to be attained by the commandments, but to be received freely as an heir. On this week's podcast, we look at a few more instances of Jesus ministering to these people who were under the first covenant.



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