It can’t be done. That’s right. There are no steps that you can take, or works that you can do that will make you right with God
Religion and your pride will tell you differently.
Both beckon you to follow all types of rules and regulations. they promise righteousness as the reward for obedience.
That’s the problem. We can’t live up to the rules and the regulations. Have you tried the Ten Commandments? How well did you do?
Here is the truth. Law condemns, even our best efforts. It’s a harsh, humbling reality. As the bible declares, “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20 NIV).
The law screams out that we are sinners, that we are not right with God. The religious rules and regulations condemn as well.
We fall short.
But…
We are justified, or made right , freely by God’s grace (Romans 3:24).
Righteousness is a gift. It can’t be earned, only received.
Jesus did the work. He is the One who makes us right. What we couldn’t do for ourselves, He did.
How can you be made right with God? Receive the gift of righteousness by faith.
If you have, you are right in God’s sight.
Category: Life
How do you define grace?
On yesterday’s broadcast, I asked listeners to call the program and share their definition of grace. William from Livermore, CA defined grace as God’s act to justify us, or to make us right in His sight. He is spot on, but even so, there is so much more that can be said.
I would like to read your thoughts. So please, join the conversation. I plan to share some of your definitions on today’s broadcast. We air each day at 3:30 PM central time. Tune us in on your local station, or listen online at realanswers.net
In light of the question, here are some of my thoughts on grace.
Today, believers are being challenged to take a fresh look at the grace of God. Lives are being changed. Worn-out Christians are letting go of their legalistic ways and are embracing new life in Christ. But whenever grace takes the lead, critics follow.
These critics drone away about believers taking grace too far and using it as a license to sin. According to them, grace needs to be balanced by law and obedience. How else will believers behave properly? The critics don’t want grace to be removed from the vocabulary, just softened somewhat.
This leads to the question; “What exactly is grace?”
Grace cannot be separated from Jesus Christ. It is wrapped up in Him. He is the One who is full of grace and truth. When we look to Him and His work on our behalf, we see grace in action.
Paul described that work in his letter to the Ephesians: “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4). So what is grace? It is God’s act to make us, who were dead in sin, alive with Christ. Grace is far more than a covering for sin. It is the implantation of Christ’s life in us.
The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines “grace” this way: that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance for a kindness granted or desired. It is a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver.
God’s absolutely free expression of loving kindness to us is life, His life. That’s grace.
Now, it’s your turn. What is your definition of grace? In what ways has God’s grace made a difference in your life?
Join the conversation and be sure to listen to today’s radio broadcast. I’ll see you on the air.
A Grace Filled 2013
I doubt the Apostle Paul ever made New Year’s resolutions. I could be wrong about this, but I just can’t imagine him resolving to join Weight Watchers or to learn a new language. Can you?
Paul was consumed by the grace of God. Nothing else mattered. When Paul met Jesus grace became everything to him. From that point forward, he lived to tell others of this good news.
If he met you today, here is what he would tell you about the grace of God.
- Jesus is full of grace. (John 1:14, 1 Corinthians 16:23)
- Grace saves you and gives you life. (Ephesians 2:1-10)
- Grace justifies you and makes you right with God. (Romans 3:24)
- Grace makes you new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 15:10)
- Grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- Grace produces fruit in your life. (Colossians 1:6)
- Grace teaches you to say “No” to sin and to live righteous, upright lives. (Titus 2:11-13)
- Grace is where you stand. (Romans 5:2, 6:14)
Paul’s purpose in life never changed. Day after day, year after year, he found new ways to carry out the task the Lord Jesus had given him — “the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24 NIV).
On second thought, maybe this was Paul’s annual resolution.
Has the grace of God changed your perspective on New Year’s resolutions?
My Favorite Bible Passages — #5
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Thankfulness matters. Personally, I think it is the one attitude that should characterize every believer. We are the ones who know the truth–everything we have, all that we are and will be has been given to us by God.
As James wrote, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
Interestingly, the Greek word for thanks is eucharisteo. The root word is charis, which means grace. Thankfulness is the fruit of God’s grace in your life.
This gives substance to Paul’s command that we give thanks in all circumstances. This is not a magic formula, or a mantra to be repeated. Genuine thankfulness reflects a heart rooted and growing in God’s grace. It means that in the circumstances of life you trust the One who works all things together for good. This is the will of God.
My Favorite Bible Passages — #4
Imagine that you are an heir to the Bill Gates fortune. If you do not know, he Tops the Forbes list as the wealthiest man in the world with a net worth of 62 billion.
As an heir, your name shows up in Mr. Gate’s will. What he chooses to leave you is outlined in that document. Upon his death, you will find out the good news.
You had nothing to do with Mr. Gates choices. He made his decisions based on his desires and wishes for you. Just imagine listening to the attorney read off all that is yours.
What if God had will like that for you? What if he made choices based on His desires for you? And what if His choices for you met your every need and heart’s desire?
Here is the good news. That will exists. It is called the New Covenant. The writer of Hebrews includes it in his letter. It is short, but all encompassing.
This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God,and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:10-12 )
For this will you do not have to wait to experience the benefits. The One who made it died. It is in effect. Forgiveness is yours. A new relationship with God is yours. Assurance of salvation is yours. A new heart is yours. In short, you have everything you need or could ever hope for.
God’s will for you is astonishing. You will spend the rest of your life learning of the height, depth, length and breadth of all that He has provided.
My Favorite Bible Passages — #3
Why does the Bible exist? What is its purpose? These questions make for some very interesting and lively discussion. Here are a few of the ideas that people throw out in response.
- The Bible is God’s rule book.
- The Bible is a manual for life.
- The Bible is a code of ethics.
- The Bible is God’s plan for man’s salvation.
- The Bible is a history book.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Maybe you have of thought of the Bible in these terms. And certainly, these are partially true, but they don’t give the big picture.
Jesus actually weighed in on the subject. In one of His many conversations with the Pharisees, He had this to say:
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. John 5:39-40 (ESV)
The Bible is God’s testimony concerning His Son. From start to finish, it is the story of Jesus. He is the key to understanding the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New. He is God’s word to man.
Why does the Bible exist? Jesus gave the answer. The Bible bears witness about Him.
What is the Bible’s purpose? So that we may have life in Him.
The next time you read the Scriptures, keep Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in mind. You’ll realize you are reading His story.
My Favorite Bible Passages — #2
How would you define eternal life? The next of my favorite Bible passages answers this question. The passage (verse) is John 17:3.
“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3 ESV).
There is no other passage or verse that defines eternal life in such plain language. The word eternal forces you to think of life that lasts forever. And certainly it does. But here Jesus speaks to the quality of eternal life. Here are just a few of the reasons I love this verse.
- Jesus’ definition helps me see that Christianity is all about relationship. For two thousand years, believers have been quick to say that “Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.” This verse makes that point better than any other.
- I think all roads in the Bible lead to this verse. Knowing Jesus, knowing His love, forgiveness and grace, is the pinnacle of human experience. The Gospel opens this door and delivers us to this end.
- This relationship with Jesus, eternal life, impacts every area of my life – attitudes, thinking, actions and relationships. Knowing Jesus changes us.
If you haven’t given this verse much thought before, hopefully this post will inspire you to give it a fresh look. When I did, it helped me see that I could experience eternal life here and now.
My Favorite Bible Passages — #1
For the next several weeks, I will be sharing my favorite Bible passages. These are the places in the Bible I return to time and time again for comfort, reassurance or fresh insight.
My favorite passage is in the book of Colossians. (It is hard to pick a favorite, I know, but if I had to, this one would be it.) Here it is.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:9-15 (NIV)
Here are the reasons this passage tops my list of favorites.
- It starts with Christ and ends with Christ. In six verses, Paul explains who Jesus is and the meaning of His death, burial and resurrection.
- I learned that my real problem was spiritual death, and that something had to happen to me before change could take place in my life. I had tried to be God’s guy, but my efforts came up woefully short.
- In the plainest language possible, it states that all my sins have been forgiven.
- It also tells me that the law of sin and death has been taken away.
- It declares that my enemy was defeated and disarmed through Christ’s triumphant victory at the cross.
- It tells me that I am complete, or have fullness, in Jesus Christ.
Some thirty years ago is when this passage hit my heart. I was confused about Christianity, and why I was such a colossal failure as far as my Christian life was concerned. Paul’s straight forward words flipped a switch in my understanding. I felt forgiven and that there was hope for me. The weight of trying to do it on my own was lifted. But more than anything, I felt alive.
Perhaps you feel defeated in your Christian life, or that you are mired in guilt and shame. It could be that you sense an emptiness deep within your heart, or that something is just plain wrong with you. If so, read this passage carefully. Jesus knows where you are. Who He is and what He accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection can change who you are. This passage was the catalyst for me to look to Him. I pray it will be the same for you.
One Baptism or Two?
A caller to yesterday’s broadcast suggested that both water baptism and spiritual baptism were necessary for salvation. With this as his premise, he wondered why Paul used the phrase “one baptism” in Ephesians 4:5. If you missed the broadcast, you can listen to the conversation here.
Paul does have it right. There is only one baptism that saves. To the surprise of many, it is not water baptism. To the Corinthians who wrestled with this very question, Paul was very clear concerning water baptism: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
The Holy Spirit is the One who regenerates us and baptizes us into the body of Christ. This means we have been baptized, or placed, into Christ’s death, burial and resurrection according to Romans 6. It also means we have been added to the church as members of Christ’s body. Though we are many, Paul wrote, we form one body.
There are many people in this world who have been baptized in water. Simon the Sorcerer was one such person. Luke recorded in Acts 8 that Simon believed and was baptized. Did this act save him? Of course not. He went through the motions in hopes to add to his mystic and his financial empire. Peter called him out saying that he was still captive to sin. Water baptism didn’t change his heart. Just because someone has been baptized in water doesn’t mean that person is saved.
However, when it comes to spiritual baptism, here is a claim that is true. Everyone who has been baptized by the Spirit of Christ into the body of Christ is saved. John the Baptist said it best; “I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8). It’s the “one baptism” by the Holy Spirit that matters. Let’s rejoice together in His work.
Spontaneous Combustion
Today is Caitlin’s 20th birthday. If you don’t know, Caitlin is my oldest child. During our recent vacation, she posted this hilarious article to her personal blog. I will say, this is the first time I’ve ever been called a “free-spirited hippie.” Flexible, yes. Spontaneous, yes. But never a “free-spirited hippie.” In the context of her story, it fits.
I know you will enjoy Caitlin’s humor. She keeps our family in stitches most of the time. She also delivers keen insights about life. As you read, do so with our monthly theme of faith and freedom in mind. Caitlin hits on several major issues we all struggle with, issues that can be obstacles to faith.
Read and enjoy, and then join the conversation by sharing times in your life when you’ve experienced “spontaneous combustion.”
Planning. A beautiful art that ensures events and activities go the way the “planner” intended, without any spontaneous interruptions. Spontaneity is the enemy. To enable my maximum enjoyment of a night out on the town, or a summer vacation, detailed planning must take place prior to the night before departure. With that being said, I categorize myself as one of those psycho women who have everything worked out…down to the second.
With my mother being a Southwest Airlines employee, our family is privileged with free flights all over the country. Being a college student in my early twenties on summer vacation, I took advantage of her benefits and made my way to Siesta Key beach. Of course, I had all the details of my trip worked out three days before my plane took off.
Just when I thought I was about to enjoy a nice relaxing week with my backside molded to a beach chair, I get a call from my mom explaining that after Florida, we’d be taking a trip through New England and eventually make our way up to New York! That was it. That one sentence was as far as they got. The flight and hotel information seemed to be obscure to them. “We’re just going to wing it”, she said.
Now, I’m not sure of my parents’ motives. I came to the conclusion that raising my anxiety levels to an 11 on a scale of 10 would be more fun for them to watch than actually going on a sight seeing vacay through New England. My brother and sister were all in. They were excited to embark on a spontaneous adventure. They all boarded the plane and left me hyperventilating into a brown paper bag in front of our gate.
I reluctantly got onto the aircraft and tried to get myself to relax. My breathing techniques were useless because the fear of not knowing what the next few days consisted of was taking over my brain.
We spent a day in Baltimore. Not expected. Then we traveled to Newport Rhode Island. Definitely not expected. When it finally came time make our way up to New York, the one part of the trip I allowed myself to be excited about, all the flights were booked. This is the karma that all these free spirited-non planning hippies deserve.
Of course, my mom is planning our next move at the airport. I have my brown paper bag handy. My brother saw a plane about to leave for Denver, Colorado at the gate right next to us and suggested we hop on and see what that city has to offer us. My worst nightmare. Once again, I’m convinced my parents agreed to it for the sole enjoyment of seeing the look of fear on my face. We boarded the plane exactly two minutes before it was supposed to take off.
So where are we now you might ask? Still on this four hour flight to Denver, with no plans. I’m squished between an elderly couple who keep asking me questions about my life. Can’t they see I’m in the middle of a huge crisis? The answer is no, they can’t because I’m sure they know where they are sleeping tonight, which is more than I can say for myself.
On the way to the bathroom I was informed that white water rafting and horse back riding are on the agenda while we are in Denver. Excuse me? How is this anywhere close to our classy New England tour? Normal people, like my brother and sister, would be excited about this news. Not me.
I sound crazy, I know. You’re probably thinking I need to suck up my controlling attitude and have a good time. You are right. I need to overcome my boring, detailed ways. This “vacation” is perfect practice. By the time I make my way home back to sweet Texas, I expect to be more like the hippies who, as my mom would say, “wing it”.
The captain just announced were landing in Denver. Wish me luck.