“Am I really okay with God? If God has forgiven me, why do I still feel like I’m on trial? If I’ve been set free, why don’t I feel free?”

These are the kinds of questions asked by those who don’t fully appreciate what it means to be justified.

What does it mean to be justified?

To be justified means that God has declared you not guilty of sin. (The original verb dikaioō means “acquitted” or “to render innocent.” See the Grace Commentary entry for Romans 3:24.) You were condemned as a sinner, but by the grace of God you have been declared innocent of all charges against you.

As preachers like to say, “Justification makes it ‘just as if I had never sinned’.”

To be justified means the chains that bound you have been removed, and the prison doors have been opened. The sentence of death has been commuted and you have returned to the land of the living. You have been set free.

So being justified or declared innocent is a very good thing. Here are three things you need to know about being justified.

1. We are not justified by anything we do

One of the great lies of religion is that you can clear your slate. Be good, work hard, and God will accept you. It’s an oft-heard message, but it’s not true.

Your good works don’t make you good.

Some people think they can earn a “get out of jail” card by keeping the Ten Commandments. Nope. “No one is justified by the law before God” (Gal. 3:11).

In fact, trying to earn justification through your good works and morality will only drive you further from salvation (see Gal. 5:4).

Imagine a prisoner on Death Row. Every day, he makes his bed and sweeps his cell in the belief that doing so will earn him a pardon. What a fool! He could have the tidiest room in the prison, but he’s not going anywhere.

In the same way, you may be the most moral or holy person around, but your morality and holiness cannot save you. Like the prisoner on Death Row, you need outside help.

2. We are justified by grace

The pardon you and I both need comes not because we are good but because God is good and he has paid our redemption price. You are not justified by your incomplete works but by Christ’s finished work. You are not justified by your sweat but by his blood (Rom. 5:9).

All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24)

Imagine our Death Row prisoner, waiting to die. He has no hope, then one day the pardon comes and his door is opened. He is free to go. He may say, “But I am filthy. I haven’t shaved in days and I stink to high heaven.” These are irrelevant details. The pardon has been given. The matter is decided and the case is closed.

In the same way, you may be the most immoral sinner around, but justification is offered to you as a free gift, paid for by Jesus. There is only one thing left to do.

3. We receive justification by faith

Just as the prisoner must walk through the open door, we must receive by faith the gift of justification. We must abandon all attempts to save ourselves and put our trust wholly in the One who is “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26).

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. (Romans 3:28)

Imagine our Death Row prisoner hears the good news of his pardon and says, “I can’t believe it. It’s too good to be true.” Take care Mr. Prisoner, for you are on the cusp of a life-changing moment. Act as though the pardon were a lie, and nothing will change. You will stay in your cell the rest of your days – even though the door is wide open.

So it is with those who insist on “working for God” in a misguided attempt to “prove their salvation.” Freedom has been offered, but they remain incarcerated in unbelief. They may go to church three times a week and tithe all they get, but they are as lost as the most unregenerate sinner.

Your actions reveal your faith. Either you will trust in God’s grace or you will work. Either you will receive the gift he offers, or you will bring gifts for him.

Pro-tip: drop your sacrifices, quit your striving, and say, “Thank you, Jesus. Your blood has redeemed me and your grace has set me free.”

In Christ, you are free. Live free.

This is what it means to be justified by grace.

—

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What is Jesus telling us? “He’s saying the kingdom of God is like a treasure or pearl and you have to give up everything you have to gain it.”

Really? But didn’t Jesus say the Father was glad to give us his kingdom (Luke 12:32)?

I’ve heard people use these parables to say we must count the cost before making a commitment to follow Jesus. Like the rich young lawyer, you must sell everything you have and give it all away. Strangely, those saying you must sell it all often haven’t sold anything. Something doesn’t add up.

Others say we must make sacrifices, not to earn salvation, but to secure heavenly promotions or special anointings. “Real Christians, like ministers and missionaries, pay the price.”

No wonder the church has a bad reputation. Some of us are acting like hypocrites – “Sure, I could give it all up if God really wanted” – while others are singing like Sinatra – “I paid the price and did it my way.”

I hope you know this already, but just to make sure we’re on the same page, the parables are not about what you give up for God, but what God gave up for you. Jesus Christ is the man who gave everything he had to gain a treasure, and he is also the merchant who came seeking the lost and sold all he had – his very life – to redeem us.

Many Christians read these parables and worry “Maybe I haven’t given up enough,” “I’m not committed enough,” or “real Christians sacrifice more than I do.” But these parables aren’t about the sacrifices you make. They are about the great sacrifice Jesus made.

He’s the hero of the story. You knew that, right?

But wait, there’s more. Read them together and you will see that the parables of the Treasure and the Pearl form a beautiful symmetry. The “treasure” is an Old Testament symbol for the nation of Israel, while the “pearl” is a New Testament symbol for the new Israel, the church.

What is the Treasure?

In the parable, the treasure represents the people of God. In context, the disciples would have understood that Jesus was referring to the nation of Israel, God’s “treasured ones” (Ps. 83:3). At Mt. Sinai, God had promised Israel, “You shall be my treasured possession among all peoples” (Ex. 19:5a).

Abraham’s descendants were called to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 22:18). But Israel withdrew from the world. Instead of shining like a beacon of God’s favour, the nation became like a hidden treasure.

So Jesus, the man from heaven, came to the field (the world) to uncover the hidden treasure (Israel). For three years, he revealed the kingdom of God by healing the sick, delivering the captives, and preaching good news to the poor. He did these things to remind Israel that they were God’s treasured possession.

But Israel’s leaders did not care. They responded to Jesus with disinterest and even tried to suppress his ministry. They were the treasure that did not want to be found.

Jesus lamented their folly. He knew that God’s purposes would come to pass one way or another, but the unbelieving Jews were writing themselves out of his story. With a heavy heart, Jesus said, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation that will bring forth its fruits” (Matt. 21:43).

And so it happened. God’s kingdom was given to a new Israel—the church. After the cross, the church became God’s treasured or chosen nation (1 Pet. 2:9).

Who is the Pearl?

Pearls were the most valuable objects in the ancient world, yet pearls are conspicuously absent from the Old Testament. The Jews prized gold, silver, and precious stones, but not pearls.

By the time of Christ, however, pearls had gained wider acceptance. Jesus mentioned pearls in his sermons (Matt. 7:6), and women wore them as jewellery (1 Tim. 2:9).

A pearl is a picture of redemption. Just as a pearl forms from an injury within an oyster, God is making something precious out of wounded and sinful humanity. He is making a new species in Christ called the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Just as the treasure symbolizes Israel, the pearl signifies the church—something once foreign, now made holy and precious.

The wrong way to read the parables of the Treasure and the Pearl is to think you must pay a great price or make great sacrifices to enter or advance in the kingdom. But the good news is that Christ gave everything he had to ransom you and all the blessings of heaven come freely to us through him.

Why did God do it this way? Because he loves you and sees you as priceless.

In his eyes, you are the treasure and the pearl of great value.

—

If you liked this, you will love Paul’s new book, The Grace Bible: The Parables of Jesus. With more 1200 entries covering every verse and phrase in every parable Christ told, this easy-to-read book cuts through centuries of confusion to reveal the grace at the heart of Christ’s most powerful teachings.

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Do you feel condemned even though you know that you are forgiven? Do you feel the pressure to perform even though you know about grace? Do you struggle to reconcile God’s grace with your own effort?

These challenges are faced by those who are not fully acquainted with the law of the Spirit of life

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:2)

The entire human race lives under one of two laws. In Adam, you were governed by the law of sin and death, but in Christ, you are governed by the law of the Spirit of life. A new law signifies a new king. Formerly, you were a captive of sin, but now you belong to God.

Okay, sweet. But what does that mean for your everyday life?

What is the law of the Spirit of life (Romans 8:2)?

The law of the Spirit of life refers to the rule or influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As new creations, we get to live in union with the Spirit of Christ, and the main way his influence is felt is through the outpouring of the Father’s love in our hearts.

The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)

The love of God is like air for us. We need it to live and the Holy Spirit gives it to us.

God’s love inspires us to trust him, be our true selves, and tell others the good news. When the love of God captures your heart, you will no longer use words like “debt,” “duty,” and “responsibility” to describe your Christian walk. Living religiously is a drudge, but living righteously becomes easy when we are empowered by the Spirit of the Father’s grace.

When you were born again or put into Christ, you received his Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. The Spirit of Christ poured out the Father’s love and set you free from the law of sin and of death.

What is the law of sin and of death?

The law of sin and of death refers to the rule or influence of sin and its destructive effects. In the same way a sheriff is the law of a town, the world is in thrall to the rule of sin (Rom. 6:14, 20. “Sin entered the world… sin reigned through death” (Rom. 5:12, 21).

Sin is like a force of nature pulling you down into the Adamic life of independent living. It does this by feeding our fears, tempting our flesh with counterfeit pleasures, and spreading lies about our identity and our needs. It gets us living by our knowledge of good and evil.

Sin would have you believe that there is something wrong with you or that you must fix yourself. Sin will leave you sweating on the treadmill of self-effort and wearing a mask that hides your brokenness and shame.

What does it mean to be free from the law of sin?

A believer has had a change in master and this changes everything. Formerly, when you sinned, you were condemned by the law as a sinner. Now, when you sin, you do not reap the condemnation of the law, but the righteous affirmation of the Spirit of life.

There are still consequences to sinning, but punishment and condemnation are not among them. Saint, you are one with the Lord. Nothing can separate you from God’s love.

Which is really good news!

What is your part in this? You must believe that “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” If you do not believe – and sadly, many Christians don’t – it will be as though nothing has changed – even though everything has changed.

Imagine an albatross that doesn’t know how to fly. It has enormous wings, but it walks everywhere. This is not what God intended for the mighty albatross.

The non-flying albatross is a picture of the Christian who lives as though they were still under the law of sin and death. When they stumble, they condemn themselves and try to do better next time. This is not what God intended for his sons and daughters.

Many Christians live like grounded albatrosses—they’re free in Christ, yet still walking under a law that no longer rules them.

God has set you free so that you might live under the law of the Spirit of life. So renew your mind and learn to conform to the new reality of the new creation. Change the way you see yourself. Learn how to walk in the spirit. You have been set free from the power of sin, which means you can live free and fly!

In Christ, we are no longer captive to our lusts and appetites. The heavy weight of the law that crushed us has been removed. Unburdened and unbound, we have nothing to prove and everything to live for.

—

Read this scripture in context on the Grace Commentary, your free verse-by-verse study guide.

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Few parables have generated as much controversy as the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Jesus told this story to a lawyer who was asking questions about how to inherit eternal life. In the story, a traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by brigands and left for dead (see Luke 10:25–37). What is it about? What is Jesus saying?

Allegory or literalism?

Early church fathers such as Origen and Augustine believed the parables were allegories riddled with layers of meaning.

According to Augustine, the traveler represents Adam, the brigands are the devil and his angels, Jerusalem is heaven, and Jericho is the waxing and waning moon. The inn symbolizes the Church, the innkeeper is the apostle Paul, and the beast of burden represents the incarnation of Christ.

Phew!

Augustine and the allegorizers go too far, say some. If we can write our own meanings onto the stories, we can make them say anything we want.

And we do.

For centuries, the parables of Jesus have been used to promote legalism, liberalism, existentialism, rationalism, feminism, pietism, postmodernism, universalism, and every other kind of –ism.

The remedy to this sort of abuse, said Reformers like John Calvin and Martin Luther, is to read the parables at a surface level only. Resist the temptation to allegorize and don’t look for hidden meanings because there aren’t any.

The Good Samaritan, said Calvin, is about being kind to your neighbor. Nothing more. But if the parables have no deeper meaning, they cease to be parables, and Jesus is just another moralizing rabbi.

Surely, both viewpoints are in error. If Augustine and the allegorizers go too far, then Calvin and the literalists don’t go anywhere at all.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan, like the stories of the Prodigal Son and the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, can be read two ways, depending on whom you identify with. If you see yourself as the fallen traveler, you will read it as a parable of grace. You will say, “Thank you, Lord, for being the true Good Samaritan who rescued me.” Your takeaway will be, “Go and reveal the Good Samaritan by showing mercy to the lost and the hurting.”

But if you identify with the Good Samaritan—that is, you see yourself as an essentially good person who does good works—you will read it as a parable of law. Your takeaway will be, “Go and show mercy to everyone, even your enemies.” And you will fail, because they’re your enemies. Like the nervous lawyer looking for loopholes, you will worry that your good works are not good enough to merit eternal life.

Which they aren’t.

Eternal life is received, not earned

Well-meaning preachers urge you to “be like Jesus,” but none of us are like Jesus. We all fall short.

But the Parable of the Good Samaritan reveals that Jesus accepts us as he finds us. He heals our hurts and lifts us up. Like the fallen traveler, we don’t have to do anything except receive his mercy and grace.

If this message of receiving is hard to grasp, consider what Jesus did next. After telling the parable, he went to Bethany to visit Martha and Mary. One sister toiled while the other sat at his feet and received, and Jesus praised the latter for choosing the thing that mattered most (Luke 10:38–42).

The life Christ offers is not something to earn but a gift to receive. We will either receive it like the wounded traveler, or we won’t take it at all.

—

If you liked this, you will love Paul’s new book, The Grace Bible: The Parables of Jesus. With more 1200 entries covering every verse and phrase in every parable Christ told, this easy-to-read book cuts through centuries of confusion to reveal the grace at the heart of Christ’s most powerful teachings.

If you have been waiting for a grace-based guide that covers ALL the parables Jesus told, your wait is over. My latest book, The Grace Bible: The Parables of Jesus, has just been released.

In this comprehensive book, every parable Jesus told is explained through the lens of grace. From the biggies – The Good Samaritan, The Wicked Tenants – to the littlies – The Tower Builder, The Warring King – all your favorites are here.

This easy-to-read book cuts through centuries of confusion to reveal the liberating grace at the heart of Christ’s most powerful teachings. With more than 1,200 entries covering every verse in every parable, The Grace Bible: The Parables of Jesus, uncovers the new covenant truths that have been hiding in plain sight.

The Grace Bible: The Parables of Jesus is the perfect addition to your grace library and makes a great gift for friends and family. And pastors.

On Amazon, the new book is available in three formats – compact paperback, easy-to-read hardcover and Kindle. It is available in other countries from these booksellers. Why not grab a copy for yourself and another to give away?

“Finally, a study Bible that stays faithful to scripture and true to the gospel of grace.” – Nate Tanner, L3 Ministries

We are living in a time of great awakening. All over the world, religious blinders are falling off those who have been kept in bondage. A church dulled by toxic mixture is waking up to the realities of the new creation.

In short, people are thinking for themselves, and this is a very good thing.

It’s an awakening that, for many, begins by asking questions. Why do I think this way? What does the Bible really say? Is it possible I have allowed myself to be misled?

When we open our minds to the Spirit’s revelation, we become primed for transformation. If all goes well, the result is repentance – a radical change in mindset that leads us in a new and better direction.

But it doesn’t always happen. Deconstruction should lead to reconstruction, but sometimes it just leads to rubble.

You took apart your faith. Now what?

I have seen countless people come out of Egypt only to settle in the wilderness. They’ve left, but they haven’t arrived. They’ve abandoned religion, but they haven’t embraced truth. Some have decided there is no truth or there are many truths, which is the same thing. Which reminds me of something GK Chesterton said:

Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.

It is good to discard the lies, but we must never abandon our quest for truth. So for those who are in transition, here is a reminder:

Truth is in Jesus. (Ephesians 4:21)

Truth is not a manmade construct subject to revision and debate. Truth is in Jesus, which is to say that Jesus is the measure of all things and by him all things are known (1 Cor. 8:6, Col. 1:16). Everything must be interpreted through him.

Loins girded with truth

If you want to know the truth about yourself, the world, or the meaning of life, you will find it in Jesus. The truth that is in Jesus frees us from the illusions of this flawed and fallen world (John 8:32).

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth (Ephesians 6:14)

To be girded with truth is to interpret all things through the reality of Jesus Christ. It is being renewed in the spirit of your mind and refusing to conform to the broken reality of this evil age.

Truth is the first piece of spiritual armor listed in Ephesians 6 because truth is a belt on which everything else hangs. If the enemy can deceive you or somehow distract you from the truth, your other armor won’t matter.

The devil will attack your grasp on truth by assailing you with lies—“Did God really say?”—and by telling you there is no truth—“There are many truths. There is your truth and my truth.” He will try to untie your belt of truth by glorifying doubt and uncertainty. The best response to his schemes is to take his lying thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

Of course, straying from the truth is nothing new. Something like this happened in the church at Antioch when certain men from the circumcision party arrived and started preaching law. They misled Peter and Barnabas and might have done terrible damage, but Paul wasn’t afraid to speak up:

I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:14)

“Not straightforward” means they weren’t walking straight. They weren’t acting consistently with the revelation of grace. They were basically saying, “You are not good enough for God. To join the inner circle, you need to become more Jewish.”

A similar message is sometimes heard today. “To be a real Christian, you need to step up, count the cost, and make the sacrifice. To really shine, you must be in full-time ministry or on the mission field.”

These calls for blood and sweat lead to dead works and Christians operating outside of their unique giftings.

And then there is the other version. “To experience authentic Christianity, you need to throw out everything you’ve been taught about God, abandon the ‘box church,’ and scorn anyone who calls themselves a pastor.” Which is really just law with a new label. Graceless messages of this kind are far from the heart of Christ.

Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

If you would stay girded with truth, learn to ignore those who aren’t living in accordance with the truth of the gospel.

We did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. (Galatians 2:5)

The truth of the gospel, or the word of truth, is the good news about Jesus Christ the Living Word. It is the undistorted message of Christ (Gal. 1:7). So here are three questions to ask yourself that will determine whether you are standing firm with your loins girded by truth:

• Does the message I’m hearing inspire me to trust God more?
• Does it cause me to fix my eyes on Jesus and be led by his Spirit?
• Does it encourage me to walk in his grace?

If you answer yes to these questions, you can be confident that you are well girded with truth.

—

Learn how to put on the full armor of God on the Grace Commentary.

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The parables of Jesus have twists and turns that can leave you scratching your head. Why does Jesus say “Come as you are” in one parable but “Count the cost” in another? And what are we to make of the king who murders his enemies or the one who hands his slave over to the torturers?

For 2,000 years, readers have interpreted the parables of Jesus three ways:

1. Read the parables as allegory

Early church fathers such as Origen and Augustine believed the parables were allegories riddled with layers of meaning.

Take the story of the Good Samaritan, for example. A traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by brigands and left for dead. According to Augustine, the traveler represents Adam, the brigands are the devil and his angels, Jerusalem is heaven, Jericho is the waxing and waning moon, the inn symbolizes the Church, the innkeeper is the apostle Paul, and the beast of burden represents the incarnation of Christ.

Phew!

Augustine was a classic allegorist who saw hidden meanings in everything. According to his fertile imagination, every detail, right down to the oil, bandages, and money, symbolized something else.

Do all these little details really matter? Does everything represent something else?

When Jesus explained the Parable of the Sower to his disciples, he focused only on a few key elements, namely the seed and the soil. He said nothing about plowing, rainfall, or other factors relevant to farming because those details had no bearing on the lesson he wanted to teach.

2. Read the parables as morality tales

Augustine and the allegorizers go too far, say some. If we can write our own meanings onto the stories, we can make them say anything we want. And we do.

For centuries, the parables of Jesus have been used to promote legalism, liberalism, existentialism, rationalism, feminism, pietism, postmodernism, universalism, and every other kind of –ism.

The remedy to this sort of abuse, said Reformers like John Calvin and Martin Luther, is to read the parables at a surface level only. Resist the temptation to allegorize. Don’t look for hidden meanings because there aren’t any.

The Good Samaritan, said Calvin, is about being kind to your neighbor. Nothing more. But if the parables have no deeper meaning, they cease to be parables, and Jesus is just another moralizing rabbi.

Surely, both viewpoints are in error. If Augustine and the allegorizers go too far, then Calvin and the literalists don’t go anywhere at all.

3. Read the parables as lessons for Israel (not us)

These days, it’s fashionable to interpret the parables of Jesus solely within their historical setting. That sounds reasonable, but it often leads to dismissing them as Jewish stories rather than Christian ones. “Jesus was speaking to Jews, not Christians,” the argument goes. “The church didn’t exist before the cross.”

Yet in a sense, it did—it was right there in the community of Jesus and his followers. The same disciples who heard the parables later built the church and wrote letters peppered with references to them.

Are the parables Jewish or Christian? Like Jesus and the disciples, they are both. They are rooted in Jewish soil yet blossoming with new covenant truth. Every parable still speaks with wisdom and relevance today.

Two questions to unlock the parables

To properly interpret the parables of Jesus, we need to ask two questions. First, to whom was Jesus speaking? Some parables were specifically meant for religious leaders who were hindering people from entering the kingdom of God. Obviously, harsh words for them are not meant for you.

Second, how do Jesus’ stories fit within the larger context of his message and ministry? Jesus’ listeners lived under the heavy yoke of the old covenant. But Jesus was not another rule-giver recycling old religious slogans. He was the Savior sent by God to announce the good news of the kingdom.

Any interpretation that turns the parables into moral lessons or law-keeping instructions can be dismissed. Jesus wasn’t just another rabbi trotting out the tired “work hard, do more” mantras of the old covenant. He was the Son of God, inviting us into the freedom and fellowship of the new creation.

Stories of the new covenant

The parables of Jesus revealed a new message for a new era. The proof is in their many twists and reversals: a rebel son is welcomed home with a party, a rich man is tormented in Hades, and outcasts are invited to a banquet.

These stories were unlike anything the rabbis and religious leaders taught. Rebellious sons were supposed to be punished, wealth was meant to signify God’s favor, and outcasts weren’t invited anywhere.

Jesus told stories in which Samaritans and women were heroes, crooked managers were praised by their bosses, and laborers who worked only one hour got the same pay as those who worked all day. Who’d ever heard of such things?

It was as if Jesus was saying, “Everything you’ve heard about God is wrong.”

God is not a merciless judge counting all your sins; he is a forgiving king who pays your debts and sets you free.

God is not an unapproachable sovereign; he is a generous host who welcomes all to his banqueting table.

God is not a distant deity who doesn’t care; he is a compassionate father who watches for your return, runs when he sees you coming, and falls on you with hugs.

For too long, the parables of Jesus have been used to promote dead works and self-righteousness. Do more. Be nice. Try harder.

And what if we don’t? “God will bind you hand and foot and throw you into the outer darkness” (the Wedding Feast). “He will bring you to a wretched end” (the Wicked Tenants). “He will say, ‘Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire’” (the Sheep and the Goats).

Sheesh.

Jesus said his yoke is light and easy, but apparently his parables are hard and heavy. Something doesn’t add up.

When sermons on the parables sound more like Moses than Jesus, you know something is wrong.

—

Extracted from Paul’s forthcoming book The Parables of Jesus (March 10, 2026). Read a sample chapter now.

Do you sometimes feel that life is so overwhelming and complicated that you don’t know how to pray?

Do you worry that your prayers are ineffective and muddled?

If you do not know how or what to pray, here is some good news:

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)

We are frail creatures, often broken, discouraged, clueless, in despair, infirm, weary, and ailing. What is God’s response to our weaknesses? He helps us. “The Spirit also helps.”

The Holy Spirit is not a fault-finder who condemns your weaknesses. He is the Comforter and the Encourager who gives you grace in your hour of need. You have a great Helper in the Holy Spirit. You will never have a need greater than his ability to help.

But how, exactly, does the Holy Spirit help us?

How does the Spirit help us in our weakness (Romans 8:26)?

He intercedes for us.

To intercede is to plead or make an appeal on behalf of another. He speaks up for you. And if that weren’t enough, Paul adds that Jesus also intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34). You have a personal intercessory team speaking up for you – Jesus and the Holy Spirit! What a team!

For those of you taking notes, the original verb hyperentygchanō is a compound word made up of the words entygchanō (intercede) and hyper (super). The Holy Spirit is our super-interceder. We don’t know how to pray as we should, but he prays or speaks on our behalf.

And he’s really, really good at it. Interceding on your behalf is his super-power.

No prayer books in heaven

I know many people find comfort in prayer books, but you don’t need one to pray effectively. You just need to realize that the Holy Spirit is in you and with you interceding on your behalf.

Which is really something.

You may be terrible at praying, but he’s really good.

You may not know what to pray, but he intercedes on your behalf with perfect knowledge.

People sometimes ask me to write prayers for them. I’m happy to help those who have never prayed before, but Christian, if you need help with your praying let me introduce you to the Super-Interceder!

So please, no more worrying about praying the right way or with the right words. Even the best pray-er you ever heard only had a partial understanding of the circumstances. The Holy Spirit, in contrast, has the complete picture. He helps us to pray for things we don’t yet know or see. He aligns our prayers with the Father’s will (Rom. 8:27).

With groanings too deep for words

Creation groans (verse 22), we groan (verse 23), and the Spirit groans (verse 26) because the world is not as it should be. Creation is enslaved, our friends and families are hurting, and our bodies are failing with age. We groan for all that is wrong with the world, and we yearn for the restoration of all things.

The Spirit groans because he cares for you. He knows the trials you are going through and the glory that is coming. He groans as if in the pains of labor until Christ is fully revealed in you (Gal. 4:19).

Prayer is talking with your heavenly Father. Prayer is the antidote to fear and worry. But don’t ever think that God won’t hear you because you are praying wrong or not praying enough.

You may not know what to pray, but you never pray alone. You can trust the Holy Spirit, the Super-Interceder to speak for you with perfect knowledge and perfect love. He knows what to say and he is interceding on your behalf.

Trust him. He’s got this.

—

Extracted from my commentary on Romans.

Have you added Escape to Reality to your home screen?

Have you ever noticed how often we sing about freedom? “I’m so glad, Jesus set me free.” “My chains fell off, my heart was free…” “Would you be free from the burden of sin?”

We sing freedom songs all the time, but what is freedom? And how is it that so many Christian’s don’t feel free? They may sing about it, but they don’t live it.

Obviously, they won’t feel free if they are living under the law or heeding the lies of manmade religion. But you can be under grace and still feel trapped or enslaved.

Which is kind of weird, don’t you think? To be set free but not live free doesn’t make sense. It means something is wrong.

Part of the problem is that some have said that freedom is licentiousness (“I can do what I want no matter what anyone says”) or freedom is independence (“no one tells me what to do”). But licentiousness leads to bondage while independence diminishes our humanity.

If you have heard that freedom means living for yourself, take care that you don’t end up in bondage to your appetites. Biblical freedom isn’t doing whatever you want; it’s being released from sin’s power so you can live as God intended.

What is a Biblical definition of freedom?

True freedom has two aspects. We have been set free from something so that we might be free to do something. Here’s the first part:

For he who has died is freed from sin. (Romans 6:7)

Those who are in Christ have been freed from sin. You were not freed because you kept the law, made sacrifices, or did the right things. You were set free the moment you came to Christ in faith. You remain free by reckoning yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:11).

But what does it mean to be freed from sin?

To be freed from sin means you no longer have to listen to your old master. In Christ, you are free from guilt, condemnation and judgment. You are free from the demands of the law and from the bondage of others’ expectations. You are free from the fear of failure and the unholy need to prove yourself. You are free from end-times anxiety and eternal insecurity.

What a blessed relief to be free!

That’s just the first part. Just as we are free from, we are free to. And this second part is the best part.

What does it mean to be free (Galatians 5:1)?

It was for freedom that Christ set us free… (Galatians 5:1a)

In Christ, we are free to rest, to trust, and to live in the love of God. We are free to approach God without fear and to bear his fruit. We are free to walk with the Lord in daily fellowship. We are free to live righteously and enjoy the wholeness of a holy life. We are free to choose, to connect, and to create. We are free to dream, to live large and to live generously.

In short, we are free to be who God made us to be.

But you will never experience these freedoms unless you are fully trusting the Lord. A choice must be made. In Christ, you are free indeed. But if you choose to walk in the old ways of the flesh, you’ll be like a liberated prisoner who returns to the jail that once held him.

The freedom to choose

The freedom to choose is one of the greatest blessings of the new creation, and we don’t talk about it as much as we might. In your old life, you walked after the desires of the flesh because they were the only desires you had. But having been placed into Christ, you have become a partaker of his divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4).

In other words, you can choose to be led by the flesh (right back into bondage) or by the spirit (in the liberty of the new life). It’s a whole new way to live as Paul describes in Romans 8.

The gospel of grace is transformational because it sets us free. But there are three ways we can get this wrong. We can:

1. Confuse freedom with license
2. Use our freedom to rebel against others or put them down
3. Fail to exercise our freedom to choose and remain captive to the flesh

If we use our freedom to indulge the flesh and criticize those who think differently, look differently, or vote differently, we’ve missed the point of grace. Jesus did not call us out of darkness so that we might win arguments or parade our superiority. “I’m walking in grace better than you are.” Jesus set us free so that we might experience God’s love and draw others into the Father’s embrace.

Grace doesn’t just free us from guilt, fear, and condemnation—it frees us to rest, love, and live fully alive.

—

Many Christians struggle because they lack clarity about grace. Inside Paul’s Library (on Patreon), you’ll find:

sermons that strip away religious fog
study notes that make Scripture come alive
exclusive articles that challenge old assumptions
bonus materials that help grace sink in deep

Paul’s Library is for those who want to see grace clearly and live free.

Just three days left.

My new book The Parables of Jesus is coming out soon. This is just a gentle reminder that you have until the end of this week if you would like to get:

• an advance reader copy (pdf) of my new book (for $10 supporters and up)
• an ARC + your name included in all versions of the book ($25+ supporters)
• an ARC + a hardcover book signed by the author – me! ($100+ supporters)

These bonuses are my way of saying thank you to monthly supporters who partner with me in sharing the good news of grace.

Because of readers like you, I am able to write full-time about the grace of God and give away most of what I produce. Without the support of readers, there would be no Grace Commentary and no Escape to Reality.

You already follow my work, so you know the heart behind it. If 2026 feels like the right moment to support the work more directly, I’d love to have you join the supporters’ team.

Don’t delay: this special offer expires Saturday January 31, 2026.

Paul

Reading the Bible through the lens of grace changes everything. Often I find myself reading familiar scriptures and thinking, “I never saw it this way before” or “Jesus is talking about himself, not me.”

This happened a lot while I was writing my book on The Parables of Jesus. Consider the parables of the tower builder and the warring king. Here’s the first one:

For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28–30)

For years, I thought Jesus was saying we need to count the cost of discipleship before signing up as his followers. It’s obvious, right? He’s saying, “Don’t think about becoming my follower unless you intend to do the work that will take you all the way to the finish.”

Only, that’s not what Jesus is saying. It is the opposite of what he is saying.

This parable of the tower builder is about the folly of starting something you can’t finish and the lesson is don’t start what you can’t finish. Don’t even try, because if you do, you will fail. Guaranteed.

Discipleship isn’t hard. It’s impossible.

The unbearable cost of discipleship

Being someone’s disciple was a big deal in Biblical times. Some people said, “I follow Paul” or “I follow Apollos.” And there were always those who said, “I follow Jesus” (see 1 Cor. 1:12).

It must have come as a great shock to the original twelve disciples to hear Jesus say, “You cannot be my disciple” – and he says it three times in this chapter:

You cannot be my disciple unless you hate your family and your own life. You cannot be my disciple unless you carry a cross. You cannot be my disciple unless you give up all your possessions. (Luke 14)

Jesus gave impossible standards to show us that where he was going (to the cross), no one can follow. He wanted to show us that the price for our redemption is greater than we can bear. Only he can pay it.

Jesus said his yoke was light and easy, but religion says the opposite. “Only those who endure trials and persecutions are genuine believers. Only those who make sacrifices are worthy of salvation.”

Don’t you find it interesting that none of the epistle writers exhort us to carry our cross? Instead, they remind us, “You died with Christ” (Col. 2:20), “We died with Christ” (Rom. 6:8), and “I have been crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20).

For those of us on this side of the cross, this is good news. This is the gospel of grace! You don’t need to count the cost because Jesus already paid it all.

If you are worn out from trying to perform for Jesus, or are weighed down by the sense that you can never quite measure up, take this truth to heart: He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion (Php. 1:6).

You can’t finish what Jesus started

Here’s the second parable, the one about the warring king:

Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. (Luke 14:31–32)

Both stories make the same point, which is don’t start what you have no hope of finishing. Just as it is foolish to start a war that you will lose, it’s foolish to think you can make yourself a disciple of Christ. You can’t do it.

No cross you bear and no sacrifice you make can ever substitute for the cross of Christ. No one can save or sanctify themselves. No one can say, “It is finished,” except Christ alone.

Someone who relies on their own strength to save themselves is like a king who goes to war against a much stronger army. You are going to lose. So give up, surrender, and ask for peace.

Those who come to God carrying crosses and boasting about all they have sacrificed will be turned away. But those who come empty-handed, trusting in the sacrifice of the Son, will be welcomed, justified, and received into the family of God.

—

If you liked this, you will love my new verse-by-verse study Bible on The Parables of Jesus.

The Parables of Jesus is the latest, thrilling installment in the Grace Bible series. As far as I know, it is the only grace-based study Bible that covers all of Christ’s parables. It’s 315 pages of rich verse-by-verse commentary that will leave you breathless at the wisdom and grace of God.

Sounds good. When can I get the new book?

The new book comes out in two months, but supporters can expect Advance Reader Copies (pdfs) in early February. That’s a full month before the book goes on sale.

How can I get my name in the book?

Easy – become a monthly supporter today. Not only will you get instant access to my personal library of study notes, ebooks, and classic sermons, but for a limited time you can also get these bonus options:

• $10/month: Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of my new book a month before release
• $25/month: ARC + your name in the acknowledgments of the new book
• $100/month: ARC + you listed as a co-editor + a signed copy of the new book

This year, for the first time ever, I’m also offering a super-bonus for our top supporters:

• $250/month: ARC + your name listed as a co-publisher in the acknowledgments + gold foiled, limited edition hardcover with a blue ribbon bookmark personally signed by the author

I’ve never done a special edition book before, and I can tell you this one looks amazing. And no, you won’t be able to buy it anywhere.

Why should I put my name in your book?

Because more people will hear the good news of grace if you do.

Monthly supporters are the reason why everything on this website is free and why people in nearly every country are hearing the good news without charge. Without the support of readers like you, there would be no Grace Commentary, no Grace Bibles, and no Escape to Reality.

Supporters are partners in this ministry, and I intend to thank them publicly in my new book.

Can I list my church or business name instead?

Yes, provided your church or business does not conflict with the gospel of grace. Just drop me a line and we’ll make it happen. This is a great way to be publicly associated with the message of grace.

Who endorses the Grace Bible?

The Grace Bible is my best-selling book for a reason. Leaders from a variety of denominations have called it “a priceless resource,” “a must-have,” and their “go-to source for studying scripture from a new covenant perspective” (sources).

Amazon readers have called it “a verse-by-verse wonder,” “by far the best commentary Bible” and “the Bible commentary I’ve prayed and waited for.”

How do I get my name in the book?

Sign up as a monthly supporter on Patreon or a Donorbox and you’re good to go. Being a supporter is easy and you can cancel at any time.

But don’t delay: this special offer expires January 31, 2026.

Paul

Have you ever noticed how Jesus said his yoke is easy and light, but sermons on his teachings often sound hard and heavy? Something doesn’t add up.

Take his parables, for example.

The parables of Jesus may be the most influential stories ever told. Millions of people know them. Each week, the parables are taught from pulpits and in Sunday School classes all over the world.

The parables reveal the kingdom, yet they are often hijacked to preach dead works and self-righteousness. Apparently, the parable of the Good Samaritan is about being kind to others, while the parable of the Shrewd Manager is about giving to the poor.

There is nothing wrong with being kind and generous, but Jesus did not come to rehash religious clichés.

Some use the parables to portray God as angry and uncaring. Apparently, he’s asleep (the Friend at Midnight), he’s mean but malleable (the Unjust Judge), and he murders people (the Wedding Banquet).

Nope.

Jesus was not an old covenant preacher frightening people with pictures of a scary God. He was the herald of the new covenant, which is why his stories were full of surprises and reversals.

They were new. They were different.

They were unlike anything we’d heard before.

Stories of the kingdom

Through his stories, Jesus described a right-side-up kingdom where prodigals are received, tax collectors are justified, and outcasts are invited to feasts. It’s a kingdom of justice and peace, of heaven on earth.

The disciples once asked Jesus why he spoke in parables. Why not speak plainly?

Jesus replied that many people were not ready to receive what he wanted to tell them. He could have spoken plainly about the kingdom of God, but they would not believe him or remember what he said. Tell them a good story, however, and they would remember it for life (see Matt. 13:10–13). Stories stick.

Jesus spoke in parables because stories disarm us. Facts and arguments may leave us unmoved, but who can resist a story about a starving prodigal, an unforgiving servant, or a poorly dressed wedding guest? Stories slip past our defenses and pierce the heart.

But only if they are told right. Which they often aren’t. To twist the stories of Jesus into an anti-grace message is surely one of the greatest harms ever inflicted.

I have read many books and heard countless sermons on the parables of Jesus, and I have found few that interpret these stories through the lens of the new covenant. Most preach dead works or mixture. “Get busy for Jesus.” “Prove your faithfulness through endless praying.” “Turn or burn.”

Yecch.

We need to take a fresh look at the parables of Jesus. We need to read them through the lens of grace.

We don’t need a parable to tell us to be good to our neighbors, but a parable may reveal that God longs to be good to us.

Nor do we need a parable to tell us that God’s kingdom is valuable and worth everything you have, but a parable may reveal that you are precious to God and that he will gladly give up everything he has to win you.

If grace and truth came through Jesus (see John 1:17), then his parables must be full of grace and truth—and they are. The parables of Jesus are the most enduring stories ever told because they reveal what we desperately need to hear. They unveil the true nature of God and the relentless love and grace he has for all of us.

Mark your diary

For the past ten years or so, I have been working on a grace-based commentary titled The Parables of Jesus. It is the latest book in The Grace Bible series and probably the most exciting project I have undertaken. When I started, I had no idea how big it would grow, but the more I dug into these timeless treasures, the more I found.

The Grace Bible: The Parables of Jesus covers all of the parables Jesus told. The book goes on sale on March 10, 2026, but you can read a sample chapter, or pre-order the Kindle version now.

If the parables of Jesus leave you scratching your head – What did Jesus mean by that?! – this is the book you’ve been waiting for.

—

In my next email, I will tell you how you can get an advance copy of The Parables of Jesus and get your name listed in the acknowledgements!

Why is it that the older you get, the faster time flies? This year went by in a blink. What happened? Quite a bit actually:

• 250,000 new words were written for the Grace Commentary
• we published grace-based study Bibles for four New Testament epistles
• I wrote a grace-based commentary covering all the Parables of Jesus (coming soon!)
• many grace articles and words of encouragement were shared with hundreds of thousands of readers
• thousands of books were given to leaders who are growing in grace
• I wrote a little book called The Grace Revolution (you can get it here.)

Grace is a funny thing. Grace gets you to drop your burdens, rest, and breathe freely. Grace removes the pressure to perform and that’s wonderful. But that’s not all grace does.

As you abandon old mindsets and fix your eyes on Christ, it’s like you grow wings. You’re still resting, but now you’re soaring with the eagles, seeing everything more clearly and covering more ground than you ever could in your own strength.

Truly, the grace of God is marvelous!

You may have noticed that nearly everything in the list above is available free of charge. Monthly supporters make it possible for me to write full-time AND to give away most of what I create. Without the generosity of these wonderful partners, there would be no Grace Commentary, no Grace Bible, and no Escape to Reality.

So, on behalf of all my readers, I want to give a huge Christmas “thank you” to our official supporters:

Co-publishers: Abundant Life Church (SD), Bill Fowler, Edward Bauchou, Christopher Gordon, and Tobias Callenius.

Co-editors: Randy and Julee Armstrong, Michael and Julie Lipparelli, John Williams, Jon and Shannon Bonner, Helen Kearney, Denise Kaitala, David Slayback, Anne H. Hoover, James Barron, Charles Carson, James Orcutt, and Wayne Jones.

Supporters: Ed Elliott, Leah Mahoney, Mel and Clare Sanders, John Ikard, Amanda Henderson, Don Beeson, Tom and Kay Stocking, Tony Vogel, Erika and Klaus Degen, Julia Vockrodt, A&C, Marshall Kim, Michael and Kim Vizza, Erik Grangaard, Derrick Darden, Jason Whitaker, Keith Forwith, Henry Yeo, Dottie Hicks, Steve and Sandra McCollom, Kenneth Crum, Janice Best Bright, Keith Pinke, Diane Peterson, Bruno Dammann, Kathy Haecker, Brandon Petrowski, Ron Roudebush, Jack and Dawn Price, Paul and Chantale Roxanas, Sam Bouwer, Sarah, Ted and Georgie Nelson, Craig Hodgins, Bonnie Weaver, Geraldine Pickard, Mathew Stokes, Charles Law, John Nankervis, Elaina Tinnell, Jude Taylor, Chris Nelson, Dreier, AJ, Betti Mash, Loren Weideman, Stephen Dennis, Jef Johnson, Kwaku Agyen, Cindy Sokal, Terry Tripp, Magnus Johansson, Peter White, Lou Reyes, Frank Lewis, Denise and Dennis Capra, Steve Roy, Kris Page, Craig Dighton, Marshall Peters, Jill Scales, Lalen Almeda, Ben Dailey, Darryl Smith, Dana Carver, Christine Duckett, Aditya Endy, James Davis, Oladipo Awoyinfa, Michael Pierce, LeadPro Systems, Andrew Chan, Joneen Gentilini, Starr Stephens, Rose Casto, Michael Scroggs, Joe Langley, Wendi Wineland, Kurt Boyd, Moses Kawuma, Jon Onabowu, Jan Botten, Wayne and Angela Jones, Waynne Noel, Bill Shoemaker, Phil and Nelly, Henry Lindo, Ricky Wafford, Noemi Marcos, Butch Morrison, Robert Zupcic, Cameron McLane, Hank Niewola, Paul Woodrich, John Weber, Terryn Adams, Liz Collard, Gennie Sinday, Marc Lopez, Greg and Raelene Race, James C Hunter, and Andrew Robertson.

I would also like to gratefully acknowledge the members of our new Grace Bible Ambassador’s Club.

Christmas is a time of hitting pause and reflecting on just how much our heavenly Father loves us and has blessed us. As we sing in the carols, he is truly “God with us”.

Camilla and I trust you have a wonderful Christmas with friends and loved ones, and a blessed new year to come.

Paul

PS: In the new year, I’m going to offer readers a chance to get their names in my new book. This is something I haven’t done in six years, so it’s a rare opportunity. I’ll tell you more in a few weeks, but if your name is on the official supporter’s page when we go to print, you’ll be in the book.

We who preach grace are sometimes accused of ignoring the Old Testament. But no one could ever make this claim about the Apostle of Grace.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul quotes the Old Testament more than 60 times. He quotes the Ten Commandments and many of the prophets. He does this to show that the old covenant foreshadowed the new covenant. Promises made then, said Paul, were fulfilled now in Christ.

Old Testament: promise made
New Testament: promise kept

That’s pretty simple, right? Yet some don’t see it. Because Paul quotes the old covenant in the new covenant, they get confused. They come away thinking we must obey the Ten Commandments or that God loves some people but hates others.

Take this verse for example:

Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:13)

Jacob and Esau were the two sons of Isaac, and apparently God hated one of them. Because God’s picky. He has favorites. He accepts some and rejects others. He predestines some for salvation, and if you’re not part of the elect, you have no hope.

Perhaps God hates you too. Perhaps he will reject you. It’s not fair, but God is sovereign. Whatta you gonna do?

Honestly, people who say such things – it’s like they’ve never heard the gospel of Christ!

God loves Esau

Jesus said “For God so loved the whole world” (John 3:16). Which means Esau is loved. Jesus said so.

Jesus also said, “Whoever comes me, I will never cast away” (John 6:37). So you do not need to fear God’s rejection.

In another article, I ask, “Why did God hate Esau and love Jacob?” The truth is, God loved both men and their tribes. He loves everyone.

A better question is, why does Paul quote this old line from the book of Malachi?

The old covenant in the new

Paul quotes an Old Testament prophet to make a new covenant point, which is this:

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. (Romans 9:6)

Someone who witnessed the brutal crucifixion of Jesus Christ might conclude that God had failed the nation of Israel. God had promised a Deliverer, but Jesus had died and Israel remained under the Roman boot.

“But no,” says Paul. “It’s not God’s word that has failed; it is unbelieving Israel who failed.” God’s word was a reliable road map, but Israel had taken a wrong turn. “Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” (Romans 3:3).

God’s promises are true whether you believe them or not, but you will never benefit from them unless you believe them. Just as Esau rejected his birthright and missed out, you can cut yourself off through unbelief.

This is what had happened to unbelieving Israel. They cut themselves out of God’s promises. But don’t think for a second that this proved God was unfaithful or that he had rejected Israel (Rom. 11:1–2).

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (Romans 9:14–15)

Some say that God chooses some people and rejects others because he is sovereign and mysterious. He is harsh because he hardens some and smashes others like a potter smashes pots. It’s not true. God is not unjust. He is merciful.

Scholars tie themselves in knots trying to explain why God hates some people (like Esau) or hardens others (like Pharaoh). Paul pre-empts these conclusions by saying, “There is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11).

The God Jesus reveals loves all, and the God Paul writes about in Romans offers mercy and grace to all (Rom. 11:32).

When Esau traded his inheritance for a bowl of lentils (Gen. 25:29–34), he turned his back on the promises God had given to his grandfather Abraham. It was a monumentally foolish act that foreshadowed the Jews’ rejection of Christ. But even though Esau rejected God, God did not reject him (see Deu. 2:5, 23:7–8).

Nor has God rejected you.

You may have made some monumentally stupid decisions. Perhaps you have even said, “God, I don’t believe in you.” But God remains faithful. He never changes.

No matter what you’ve done or how far you have wandered, God believes in you. His love and grace are beyond our comprehension.

—

Romans has been called the most Old Testament book in the New Testament. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I list every single Old Testament author and scripture quoted by Paul in his monumental letter. Check it out now on Patreon.

Parts of this article were extracted from The Grace Bible: Romans.

Here’s the one question I get asked more than any other: “Paul, can you recommend a grace church in (insert small town name I’ve never heard of)?”

Usually I can’t help people so I direct them to Ted Nelson who curates the Locate Church Ministries database. But any database is going to be incomplete. What we need is a simple way to tell for ourselves whether a church preaches grace or some unholy mixture of grace and works.

Of course, every church claims to preach grace to one degree or another. But a pure grace church or ministry doesn’t mix the new covenant message of grace with old covenant law and dead works.

Here are…

Ten signs of a grace church

Grace churches and grace ministries typically proclaim…

1. Jesus and nothing but Jesus—because whatever your need, Jesus is the answer (Php. 4:19); the Son is the clearest revelation of the Father’s character (Heb. 1:3); he is the reason for everything and the meaning of life (Col. 1:15–20); knowing Christ and who we are in Christ is how we grow (Php. 3:8, 2 Pet. 3:18)
2. the unconditional love of the Father revealed through Christ and his sacrificial work on the cross (Rom. 5:8)
3. that all your sin—past, present and future—was carried by Christ on the cross, and that in him, you are eternally forgiven (Col. 1:14, 2 Cor. 5:19, Heb. 10:11–12)
4. that all God’s blessings, including salvation and sanctification, come freely by grace and are received by faith (Eph. 1:3, 2:8, 2 Pet. 1:3); the emphasis is on receiving and bearing fruit rather than striving and producing (John 15:5, Php. 1:11, Col. 1:10)
5. that living under law is a form of unbelief that leads to bondage (Gal. 3:12, 5:1), and to walk by faith means trusting God from start to finish (2 Cor. 5:7, Php. 1:6)
6. that only the grace of God can empower us to say no to sin and live holy lives (Tit. 2:11–12)
7. that in spiritual union with the Lord, the believer is as righteous and holy as Christ (John 15:5, Eph. 4:24, 1 John 4:17)
8. that your old self died with Christ and cannot be improved or reformed (Rom. 6:2–3, 6); your born-again self is one with the Lord and can never be lost (John 10:27, Rom. 8:38–39, 2 Cor. 1:21-22)
9. that every believer is part of the body of Christ and has spiritual gifts and an inheritance in the Lord (John 17:10, Rom. 8:17, 12:6, 1 Pet. 4:10)
10. that the new covenant began at the cross, rendering the old covenant obsolete (Luke 22:20, Heb. 8:13)

—

More like this:

• 8 Signs of Hyper-Grace Churches
• 8 Signs a Church Doesn’t Get Grace
• What is a Grace Bible church?
• What Verse Should they Display in Churches?
• Is there a Grace Revolution?
• The Most Influential Grace Preachers of the 20th Century

—

Your Christmas sorted…

The perfect gift for someone new to grace
The Gospel in Ten Words is the book I recommend to new believers and people who are starting out in grace. In a word, it’s about the believer’s identity. In Christ, you are holy, righteous, royal, and so much more.

The perfect gift for the visual learner
Stuff Jesus Never Said is full of paintings and drawings from the great masters and Bible illustrators. This award-winning book draws a line between what you may have heard and what Jesus actually said.

The perfect gift for your Mom, wife and daughter
In The Silent Queen, I tackle tough questions like these: Should women stay silent in church? What did Jesus think about women in leadership? Should women submit to male leaders? Is infidelity the only excuse for divorce? Are wives really helpmates? Why should you never compare yourself or your wife to the excellent woman of Proverbs 31? This multi-award-winning book demolishes the lies that keep women silent and sidelined.

The perfect gift for the Bible student, pastor or you
This unique study Bible emphasizes God’s unconditional love, the finished work of the cross, and the believer’s identity in Christ. It draws a line between law and grace and the old and new covenants. Passages that may cause fear or confusion are interpreted in the light of the gospel. If you have ever asked, “How do I read this scripture through a New Covenant lens?” The Grace Bible is for you.

For years, readers have been asking, “Paul, why don’t you make your study notes publicly available?”

Well… your wish is my command. This weekend only, you can get my ebook Original Sin: What Does the Bible Really Say? for just one dollar.

Tell your friends.

Paul

PS: What’s it about? For 2000 years, Augustine’s doctrine of original sin has taught that you were a natural born sinner, stained with Adam’s sin. From the moment you drew your first breath, you were hostile to the things of God and hardwired to sin.

This teaching is both unbiblical and illogical. Like smoking, original sin is harmful to your health. In my ebook Original Sin: What Does the Bible Really Say? I cover the following:

• What is the Doctrine of Original Sin?
• Scriptures Used to Support Original Sin
• Scriptures that Refute Original Sin
• The Religious Origins of Original Sin
• Ten Reasons Why Original Sin Cannot be True
• Are We Born Spiritually Dead?
• What is the True Significance of the Virgin Birth?
• Where Does a Sinful Nature Come From?
• Do Christians have a Sinful Nature?
• Why are Children Selfish?
• What Happens to Babies Who Die?
• A Message for Parents

We all have a narrative about God and how he relates to us. If your narrative says you and your children are stained by Adam’s sin, and that you have to jump through hoops to avoid eternal condemnation, you need a better narrative.

Religion says you are born bad and God hates you, but the Bible says you are fearfully and wonderfully made and your heavenly Father loves you. Original sin conveys a message of “sin with us,” but the gospel proclaims a better message of “God with us.”

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If Bible verses were medicines, some verses would be wonder drugs. Or maybe miracle cures. Like this one:

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

This single verse has the power to change your life. If you receive this truth in your heart, it will bear much good fruit. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look. The following is extracted from my book The Grace Bible: Romans.

Therefore means “Because of what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ our Lord” (see Rom. 7:25).

Many believers are burdened with guilt and condemnation. They’re stuck in Romans 7 when they could be in Romans 8. They’re under law when they could be under grace. They’re weary from walking after the old ways of the flesh when they might be frolicking in the new ways of the Spirit.

Now means you can be free from condemnation right now.

Some say, “When I stop sinning, I will have no more condemnation.” That’s old covenant thinking. In the new covenant, we start from the place of no condemnation. We receive God’s grace and are empowered to stop sinning. “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

No condemnation means you have nothing to fear from the judgment of God or the penalty of sin. Sin brings death, and the law brings condemnation, but the grace of God raises the dead and justifies the sinner.

Adam’s disobedience brought condemnation to the human race, but Christ’s obedience brings life and justification (Rom. 5:18). In him, you are justified and declared innocent of all charges (Rom. 3:24). If God is for you and Christ defends you, who can accuse you (Rom. 8:33, 1 John 2:1)?

Condemnation. The original noun katakrima means “a guilty verdict.” Because of Adam, humanity received condemnation (Rom. 5:18), but those in Christ have been justified and declared not guilty.

In Christ Jesus. You were in Adam; now you are in Christ Jesus. You were in the flesh; now you are in the spirit (Rom. 8:9). The moment you put your faith in the Lord, you were transferred out of the old humanity and into the new creation family of God.

The word “union” does not appear in many English Bibles, but our union with the Lord is mentioned hundreds of times in Scripture. Paul refers to our spiritual union with phrases such as “in Christ,” “with Christ,” and “with him” (e.g., Rom. 6:4–6, 8, 11, 8:17).

We are alive to God and have eternal life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:11, 23).

The grace and kindness of God are found in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:7), and his forgiveness is found in Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:32).

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1), we are justified in Christ (Gal. 2:17), and our salvation is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:10).

Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:39). We have freedom and are sanctified in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:2, Gal. 2:4).

We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6).

The faith and love of God are found in Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 1:14).

In Christ we are brand new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17). We are complete in Christ (Col. 1:28) and blessed with every blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

All the glory goes to God because it is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:30).

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Do you perform miracles? Do you heal the sick and raise the dead? Because if you’re not, you may not be a real Christian. That’s according to some people. But not me.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe the life we have in Christ is supernatural, and I pray for the sick.

But if you love the Lord and have never healed the sick or raised the dead that does not make you any less of a Christian. The newest, least supernatural believer is 100 percent righteous, holy, and eternally secure in Christ.

So what are the “greater works” Jesus said we would do? And how do we do them?

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. (John 14:12)

At the time he said this, Jesus had:

• turned water into wine (John 2)
• had a word of knowledge for a woman at a well that led to a Samaritan revival (John 4)
• healed a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years (John 5)
• fed 5,000 hungry people (John 6)
• walked on water (John 6)
• given sight to a man born blind (John 9)
• raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11)
• preached, prophesied, and told parables

We can imagine the disciples’ shock when Jesus said, “You will do these and greater works besides.” What are the greater works?

The usual answer is that Jesus was referring to works that are greater in scope. He did a few miracles in one place over a short time. His millions of followers have done countless miracles across the whole world for hundreds of years.

But I don’t think that is what Jesus had in mind. Jesus said we would do:

1. The works that I do (e.g., healing the sick, raising the dead)
2. Greater works

He did not say we would do more works, but greater works. He’s talking about two kinds of works.

1. “The works that I do, you will do”

When Jesus sent out the disciples, he gave them the authority to do what he had been doing.

Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. (Matt. 10:1)

Later, he repeated the exercise with seventy disciples (Luke 10:1). The disciples returned saying that they had done what Jesus commissioned them to do.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.” (Luke 10:17)

Jesus said it – “The works that I do, you will do” – and the apostles did it. We can too. We don’t do the works to prove we are real Christians. Rather, we get to do them because Jesus said so.

Jesus didn’t retire after he ascended to heaven. The works he did – proclaiming liberty to the captives, opening blind eyes, delivering the oppressed – we can do because his Spirit lives within us. It’s a promise to believe, not a test you must pass.

2. “Greater works also”

Jesus said, “Because I go to the Father, you will do greater works also.” He was saying, “After I’m gone, everything will change.” And in Acts 2, everything changed:

• Before Pentecost, the disciples did the works of Jesus
• After Pentecost, the disciples did greater works

In addition to healing the sick and delivering the oppressed, the early Christians released the life of the Holy Spirit – something that had not been possible before the Spirit was given. They co-laboured with the Lord to make new creation believers.

This is how it happened: believers preached the gospel, people responded in faith, and the Holy Spirit made them new. He transferred them out of Adam’s family and put them into Christ. This is the greater work.

Before the cross, no one could be born again or born of the Spirit. After Pentecost, thousands of people turned to God in faith and were made new. Eighty years ago, E. W. Kenyon wrote about the greater works in his book New Creation Realities:

We are doing greater works than the Master did in his earth walk, because we help men spiritually. We bring them the Word of life and they are recreated; they come into the family of God. We help them pass out of death unto life.

Every person Jesus fed, hungered again. Every person Jesus healed, eventually died. But every person who is born of the Spirit, has everlasting life and fellowship with the Lord.

What are the greater works Jesus said we would do?

With the aid of the Holy Spirit, we can make people new. Here’s E. W Kenyon again:

Our ministry is almost an unlimited ministry; his ministry was a limited one. Jesus healed men’s bodies. We, through the grace of God, heal men’s spirits. He raised men from the dead to die again. We show them that they were raised together with Christ. He fed the hungry with loaves and fishes. We feed the spiritually hungry with his own wonderful words.

A sick person who is healed will eventually die, but someone who has been made new by the power of God will never die (John 11:26, Gal. 6:8). Being born again is a greater work than merely being healed or delivered.

You may not have healed anyone or raised anyone from the dead, but if you’ve told someone the good news and they responded in faith and were born again, you have done a greater work.

All this is to the glory of Jesus Christ who gave us his life-giving Spirit. It is the Spirit of Christ who gives life to the dead, makes us new and does greater works through us.

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E.W. Kenyon had an enormous influence on the Word of Faith movement and indirectly on the modern grace movement. In the bonus materials that accompany this article on Patreon, I list some of his more influential books and share my favorite E.W. Kenyon quotes.

Have you ever wondered why some people never respond to the gospel?

You tell them God loves them, that he holds nothing against them, and he’s longing to share his life with them, and you get nothing. It’s like they’re asleep.

Well, apparently, that’s God’s doing:

Just as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day.” (Romans 11:8)

“Stupor” means numbness and is sometimes translated as “slumber.” According to Paul, who was quoting Isaiah, God makes people spiritually numb or sleepy. He shuts their eyes and closes their ears so they neither see nor hear the good news.

John said something similar:

For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” (John 12:39–40)

Who blinds the eyes of unbelievers? Apparently, God does.

But before we start jumping to conclusions about the sovereignty of God, let’s look at how this same prophecy appears in other places. Here’s Jesus:

In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13:14–15)

John said of the unbelieving, “God blinded their eyes,” but Jesus said, “They have closed their own eyes.” Big difference.

Interestingly, Paul echoes Jesus when talking to the Jewish leaders in Rome:

The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, “Go to this people and say, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.’” (Act 28:26–28)

Was Paul contradicting himself?

Romans 11: God shut their eyes.
Acts 28: They shut their own eyes.

There is no contradiction. When Jesus and Paul (in Acts) say, “They closed their eyes,” they are saying, “Those who shut their eyes and ears to God’s goodness become insensible and hard of heart.”

And when John and Paul (in Romans) say, “God blinded their eyes,” they are saying, “God designed a world where unbelief has consequences.”

In his wisdom, God leaves no middle ground between faith and unbelief. Those who trust him get grace in abundance, but those who shut their eyes and ears to God’s goodness become insensible and hardened (Eph. 4:18–19). As a consequence of their unbelief, they become creatures of instinct, captive to their appetites (2 Pet. 2:12). God allows this to happen so that they might come to their senses and see their need for a Deliverer.

Here’s one more verse we must consider:

The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

The devil does not go around poking the spiritual eyes of people – he’s not that powerful. But everything he does is designed to keep us in the dark. The good news is the darkness cannot overcome the light.

God does not blind people or put them to sleep. Far from it. Instead, he calls us out of darkness into his wonderful light so that we may shine and show the way for others:

But now, up on your feet – I have a job for you… I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. (Act 26:16–18, MSG)

Awesome!

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My scariest movie moment happened at a drive-in theater in 1986. I was in a car with some friends, watching a new release called Aliens. Seen it?

We had no idea what the movie was about, so imagine our shock when a man eating a meal began choking and convulsing violently. I won’t describe the horrifying thing that happened next—just in case children are reading this—but we screamed in absolute terror.

In space, no one can hear you scream, but they sure heard us that night at the drive-in.

I am reminded of that horrific scene when I read these words:

So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. (Romans 7:17)

What does it mean to say, “Sin dwells in me”? The mind boggles. Is Paul describing a sin nature, a sin parasite, or some kind of sin… alien?

Before we answer that, let’s look at a couple of other interesting phrases in Romans:

1. Our old self was crucified with him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with (Romans 6:6)
2. Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Romans 7:24)

If you don’t have a whole-Bible theology, you might think that you have a sin virus inhabiting your sinful body giving birth to sinful fruit. You might think you have two natures inside dueling for supremacy. You can keep that sin nature subdued for a while, but one day it’s going to burst forth like a freaky you-know-what.

Let me put your mind at rest.

Christian, you do not have a sin nature or a sin virus inside you. The only thing that dwells in you is the mighty Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9, 11).

When Paul says, “Nothing good dwells in me” (Rom. 7:18), he does not mean, “Something evil dwells in me.” He means your flesh is incapable of living the good life that God wants for you:

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (Romans 7:18–19)

Our body of sin?

Perhaps you have heard that your body is bad, sinful, or unsaved. It’s not true. Your body belongs to the Lord. It is the holy temple of the Holy Spirit.

When Paul speaks of the “body of sin” (Rom. 6:6), he is referring to our physical or mortal body, a.k.a. our body of death (Rom. 6:12, 7:24). Our physical body is the battleground where we engage with sin and experience its deathly effects (Rom. 6:13, 19, 7:5, 23–24, 8:10).

Your body connects you to the world where sin resides. Sin tempts us through our natural senses, and it is with the members of our body—our eyes, hands, tongues, etc.—that we sin.

Our body parts or members are not sinful, but they can be used for sinful purposes (Rom. 6:13). When the old desires of the flesh collide with the new desires of your spirit, the conflict is waged in your members (Rom. 7:23).

Is my body saved or unsaved?

Like the law of gravity, the law of sin affects our bodies. But this does not mean your body is evil. Your mind and body are gifts from God. They are tools that can be used as instruments of righteousness or unrighteousness (Rom. 6:13).

Some may say, “My spirit is saved, but my body remains unsaved,” which is like saying God only does partial salvations. How can we glorify God in our bodies if they are unsaved (1 Cor. 6:20)? How can we present our bodies as holy sacrifices to the Lord if they are unholy (Rom. 12:1)?

When Paul refers to the “sin which dwells in me,” he is simply saying that the influence and effects of sin are felt in our physical bodies.

Sinful passions… work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death (Romans 7:5)

Your enemy wants you to be double-minded and uncertain about this. He wants you to think that you have two natures dueling inside you, or that parts of you are unsaved and need work, or you are infected with sin virus and there’s nothing you can do about it. When you stumble, he will say, “Your behavior is bad because you are bad.”

It’s not true. You are not a bad person. You are not even partly bad.

Your body belongs to the Lord

Learn to see yourself as God sees you. One with the Lord, you are as holy and righteous as he is. No sin dwells in you, and your body is the glorious temple of the Holy Spirit.

Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6)

Your old self was incapable of resisting sin. But the person you used to be died with Christ so that you might walk in the new and better way of the spirit (Rom. 6:4–6). Put it all together and Paul is saying something like this:

Something happened (your old self was crucified), and now something needs to happen (your body needs to be rendered ineffective as an instrument of sin), so that something else will happen (you will no longer be a slave to sin).

Paul is not saying your body needs to be destroyed (you still need it). He’s saying use your body to serve the Lord (Rom. 6:13, 21–22, 12:1).

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Read these passages in context on the Grace Commentary and discover the treasures of grace. The Grace Commentary is a great place to find answers to common questions, like these:

1. What is the word of God?
2. Why say a man is justified by works and not faith alone?
3. How will God repay us according to our deeds?
4. Why didn’t the religious leaders stone Jesus like the stoned Stephen?
5. Why did Paul call himself a bond-servant if he knew he was a son?
6. What is a measure of faith?
7. How do we work out your salvation “with fear and trembling”?
8. What is the significance of David’s Key?
9. What does it mean to refer to “the God of hope”?
10. What are the works of faith?

Israel is again in the news. The endless cycle of violence in the Middle East leaves us wondering, “When will it all end?” So it’s understandable that some take comfort from this verse:

… and so all Israel will be saved. (Romans 11:26)

Which is a remarkable promise given the indifference Israel showed to Jesus.

The descendants of Abraham were highly favored. They had the promises of God, the law, and the prophets. They had all the Old Testament signposts that pointed to a coming Messiah. Yet when Jesus came, they rejected him and cut themselves off from God’s favor.

Israel’s rejection of Christ broke Paul’s heart:

For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites… (Romans 9:3–4a)

The unfaithful nation of Israel cut itself off through unbelief (Rom. 11:20). But was there a hope that one day the nation would be saved? That depends on your definition of “all Israel.” Is Paul referring to ethnic Israel, the nation of Israel, or spiritual Israel? This question has been debated for centuries. Here’s a summary of the different viewpoints:

“All Israel” means ethnic Israel

According to some, “all Israel” means ethnic Israel – the biological descendants of Abraham – because that’s who Paul has been talking about in the preceding verses. “A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (verse 25).” Ethnic Israel had rejected Christ, so it must be ethnic Israel that is ultimately saved.

But if all Israel is ultimately saved, why would Paul want to trade places with them? Why would he give up his salvation for those who are going to be saved anyway?

Something doesn’t add up.

“All Israel” means the nation of Israel will be restored

Some believe that Paul was alluding to a future restoration of the nation of Israel followed by the immediate return of the Lord. Well, the nation of Israel was restored in 1948, and Jesus has not yet returned.

I am old enough to remember people saying that the Lord would return within a generation of Israel’s restoration – that is, by 1988. You can add that one to the long list of fraudulent end times prophecies.

Or perhaps the Lord returns first and then the nation of Israel is restored. Maybe. My view is that when the King returns and all the kingdoms of this world become part of his kingdom (Rev. 11:15), we won’t be too concerned with what is happening to individual nation-states.

“All Israel” means the whole world will be saved

A Universalist reads Paul’s promise as an indicator of universal salvation. All Israel means all Arabs, all Syrians, all Iranians, and everybody else must be saved because anything less would be unjust. But again, Paul. If everyone is going to be saved, why would he offer to trade his salvation away?

“All Israel” means God’s promises are fulfilled in the body of Christ

As always, context is king. In the middle chapters of Romans 9–11, Paul is not making prophetic statements about the future of Israel; he is saying that God’s promises to Abraham remain as good as ever.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel. (Romans 9:6)

On the surface, it might seem that God’s promises of deliverance and blessing had not come true. Jesus had come and gone, but Israel was still oppressed by its enemies. However, all through Romans, Paul argues that God’s word had come to pass and that the covenantal promises of God were fulfilled in spiritual Israel.

A true Israelite, says Paul, is someone who shares the faith of Abraham and has been circumcised inwardly by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 2:28–29, 4:11–12). A true Israelite believes God raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Rom. 4:24).

A tree of all nations

In Romans 11, Paul paints a parabolic picture of an olive tree. It’s a tree with Jewish roots (Rom. 11:17–18) and multinational branches. Some of the original branches had been broken off (the faithless descendants of Abraham), and wild branches had been grafted in (Gentile believers).

The tree represents the multicultural family of God, which is composed of both Jewish and Gentile believers.

God’s word has not failed

Everything promised to Abraham and his descendants is coming true in the new creation family of God.

… and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26–27)

There is indeed hope for the nation of Israel, and it is the same hope that God offers to all of us. This hope of salvation is realized in Jesus, the Deliverer from Zion, who bore all our sins.

In Christ, you are part of the “Israel of God,” and in him, you are loved, accepted, forgiven, and well and truly saved.

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Read these scriptures in context on the Grace Commentary, your free verse-by-verse study guide.

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If Romans is the greatest letter ever written, then chapter 8 is the greatest chapter in the greatest letter. It’s the Everest of Paul’s monumental epistle.

In Romans 8, Paul makes several amazing claims about the gospel:

• God frees us from sin (Rom. 8:2)
• God raises us from the dead (Rom. 8:11)
• God adopts us as sons and makes us his heirs (Rom. 8:17)

Having made these claims, he hits the pause button to ask, “What then shall we say to these things?” (Rom. 8:31). In other words, What do you think? What does it mean? What conclusions can we draw?

And then Paul answers his question by asking…

5 questions every believer should ask

These five questions ought to be the first questions we ask when we come to Christ. And they are questions we should return to again and again, for they keep us in the grace of God.

These five questions are awesome. But don’t panic. This is not a test. These are rhetorical questions with obvious answers.

Q1: Who can be against us?

If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31)

“God is for us” means your heavenly Father is totally committed to your success. Boom!

Some fear that God is against us, but the Scriptures declare that he is for us (Ps. 56:9, 118:6). Knowing that God is on your side and you can’t lose gives you confidence to take risks. You’ll walk into the lion’s den with a holy swagger and face the furnace without fear. You will say, “God is with me, I will not be burned” (see Is. 43:2).

Who is against us? No one, obviously, because anyone who picks on you is picking on a child of God. This does not mean you won’t encounter opposition. But those who oppose God’s children are picking a fight they cannot win. Those who rise against you will come from one direction and flee in seven (Deut. 28:7).

Q2: What good thing will God withhold from us?

He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him over for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Paul’s letter to the Romans could be called the Christmas Epistle because it reveals God’s good gifts to us, including justification (Rom. 3:24), righteousness (Rom. 5:17), eternal life (Rom. 6:23, 8:11), perseverance (Rom. 15:5), spiritual gifts (Rom. 1:11, 12:6), the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5), and his own Son. There is no good thing that God withholds from us.

Q3: Who can accuse us?

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? (Romans 8:33a)

Any accusations against you come from one of three sources: your conscience, the devil, or the world. You can be sure that no accusation comes from the One who is for you and justifies you.

God’s throne is a place of grace, not judgment (Heb. 4:16). Should any accusations come against you, you can be confident that a mighty Advocate will speak in your defense (see next verse).

Q4: Who can condemn us?

God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? (Romans 8:33b–34)

God is in the justifying business, not the judging business. He doesn’t condemn you for being wrong, but he removes all your sins, declares you innocent, and adopts you into his family.

Since God is for you and justifies you, no one can condemn you or bring a successful charge against you (Rom. 8:1, 33). In Christ, you are eternally unpunishable and uncondemnable.

Q5: Who can separate us from God’s love?

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:35)

No one can come between you and Christ’s love for you. If all the lawyers of the world were to present undeniable evidence of your wrongdoing and wretchedness, your Savior would still love you, defend you, and say, “You are mine.” If you were the only sinner who ever lived, he would still go to the cross for you.

The Good Shepherd will always come for the one lost sheep.

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The Grace Commentary is a great place to find answers to common questions, like these:

1. What is the sin leading to death?
2. Why was Paul eager to remember the poor?
3. How do we test ourselves to see if we are in the faith?
4. What does it mean to fall from grace?
5. Will God erase me from the Book of Life?
6. What does it mean to say “the women are to keep silent”?
7. Why did Jesus tell the high priest he would see the Son of Man in power?
8. What is “another gospel”?
9. Why does John say we are living in the last hour?
10. Why did Jesus tell the disciples to pack swords for their trip to the garden of Gethsemane?

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Every day there is more evidence of a worldwide Grace Revolution.

Just check out the booming increase in the number of sermons, books, podcasts, and videos about grace. Grace preachers and teachers are springing up everywhere, and it is only a matter of time before we see a corresponding increase in the number of grace churches.

A good question to ask is why? Why is a Grace Revolution happening now?

The roots of the current movement can be traced back for decades. Influential grace preachers and teachers have been laying a foundation for at least 70 years. But only recently, in the last 15 years or so, has the grace movement burst into life.

The current Grace Revolution shares some similarities with the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Just as the Reformation needed fuel for the fire, the current Grace Revolution came about because the conditions were ripe.

Is today’s Grace Revolution the Reformation of our time?

Four factors that preceded the Protestant Reformation were: (1) a deepening spiritual hunger for truth, (2) widespread distrust of the institutional church, (3) a growing appetite for critical thinking and challenging authority, and (4) the invention of a disruptive new technology (the printing press).

Similar forces have played a role in shaping the modern Grace Revolution:

1. A growing spiritual hunger grows in a world of crisis

In an era marked by war, pandemics, inequality, environmental degradation, political turmoil, anxiety, and information overload, people are searching for truth they can stand on and hope they can hold onto.

2. Declining trust in the institutional church

Fifty years ago, two-thirds of Americans had confidence in organized religion. By 2024, that number had dropped to less than one-third. Scandals, corruption, secularism and perceived hypocrisy have fueled a growing distrust of religious institutions (source: Gallup).

3. The rise of critical thinking and spiritual questioning

The global spread of education and the democratization of knowledge have encouraged people to ask questions and re-examine long-held religious assumptions.

4. New technology has made it easier to reach large audiences

New technology (e.g., self-publishing, YouTube, podcasting, social media, email newsletters, crowdfunding, community platforms, online courses, etc.) has made it possible for reformers and grace preachers to reach global audiences without relying on traditional pulpits or gatekeepers.

A movement of nobodies

The modern Grace Revolution shares some similarities with the Protestant Reformation, but it differs in one respect: The Grace Revolution is a grass-roots movement. It does not have a central headquarters or leader, and it is unlikely to spawn new denominations.

The Reformation gave us Lutherans, Calvinists and Wesleyans, but the Grace Revolution, with a few exceptions, is a movement of nobodies. By “nobodies”, I mean people who are flying under the radar.

Take me, for example. When I started writing about grace, I had just stepped down from being a pastor. I had no pulpit, no platform, and no best-selling books next to my name. All I had was an email newsletter that I occasionally sent to a handful of pastor friends.

Even now, I remain a nobody. I live in one of the most remote nations on earth (New Zealand), I don’t preach, and I say “no” to virtually every request for an interview. Yet every day, God gives me words that help people all over the world. All glory to God.

Who introduced you to grace?

Whenever I meet brothers and sisters in the Grace Revolution, I like to ask, “Who was instrumental in the early days of your grace walk.” Almost always, they reply, “You wouldn’t know them. They’re nobody famous.” Often it’s a pastor of a small church in some Podunk town, or it’s an elderly minister who is now retired.

Sometimes I look up these “nobodies” to learn more about them. More often than not, I learn that they have no platform, no books, and no hordes of followers. They don’t have a reputation for greatness, but they have a great grasp on grace. They are mature believers who shine with the love of the Father.

And by the grace of God, they are changing the world.

The thing about us nobodies is that we have no choice but to rely on God. We don’t have the reputation, resources, or political capital to do anything else. In the economy of grace, being a nobody is an advantage.

To learn more about the similarities between the Reformation and the Grace Revolution, check out my new book The Grace Revolution: Who, What, When, How and Why. Supporters can download it from my Patreon page.

Does God choose some people to be saved and condemn the rest? Does God harden the hearts of some so they can never come to repentance?

You might think so after reading this verse:

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. (Romans 9:17–18)

You may recall the story. Moses said, “Let my people go,” Pharaoh stubbornly said, “No,” and the outcome was destruction for Egypt and liberation for Israel.

And apparently, Pharaoh’s intransigence was all God’s doing.

Who hardened who?

The story of Pharaoh comes to us from Moses. On several occasions, Moses tells us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (see Ex. 4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:1, 14:4). But Moses also said that Pharaoh hardened his own heart:

• When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart (Exo. 8:15)
• Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go (Exo. 8:32)
• When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his servants (Exo. 9:34)

What’s going on? Pharaoh is not the Lord. Was Moses confused?

Old Testament writers sometimes said that God hardened hearts (e.g., Jos. 11:20). But people harden their own hearts by resisting the Holy Spirit and yielding to the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13). It is pride that hardens hearts.

Pharaoh was a tyrant who rejected the word of the Lord. Pharaoh had a front-row seat to some of God’s most dramatic signs and wonders, yet he closed his eyes and hardened his heart. He refused to believe what he was hearing and seeing.

Who raised who?

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up… (Romans 9:17)

This makes it sound like Pharaoh had no choice in the matter. Pharaoh was God’s puppet. But the Scripture that Paul is quoting is this one:

But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you my power and in order to proclaim my name through all the earth. (Exo. 9:16)

There’s a difference between “I raised you up” and “I allowed you to remain.” The true meaning comes out more clearly in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures), where the original quote reads like this:

And for this purpose hast thou been preserved…

God could’ve removed Pharaoh at any time, but he didn’t. In his mercy, God preserved Pharaoh’s life. Because that’s what God does. He preserves and saves people. God gave wicked Pharaoh multiple opportunities to repent – that’s mercy.

The tragedy of Pharaoh’s wickedness is that many people lost their lives. But what Pharaoh meant for evil, God turned around for good. Because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness, the whole world heard about God’s powerful signs and wonders. We still talk about them today.

God chooses mercy

The WRONG conclusion to take from this is that “God saves some and damns the rest.” Paul never says this. Instead, he says:

So then he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. (Romans 9:18)

Which is to say that God is free to show mercy or harden hearts, and he chooses mercy.

I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. (Romans 9:15b–16)

God abounds in mercy

It’s amazing how often people get this wrong. They lift a scripture out of context and come up with all sorts of screwy ideas about God’s divine lottery. But if you read everything in context, the message of mercy comes across loud and clear.

In the middle chapters of Romans, Paul recounts the stories of Israel’s history to remind us of a great truth: God is merciful. “The Lord your God is a merciful God” (Deu. 4:31). Indeed, God abounds in mercy (Eph. 2:4).

Those who have been raised under a merciless law imagine God to be harsh and unforgiving. They imagine God is picky and punitive, punishing unrepentant Pharaohs and the profane.

But the God Jesus reveals is not like this. “He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps. 103:8). It is on account of his mercy that we are saved (Tit. 3:5).

The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (James 5:11)

He is a God of mercy, not hardening.

—

Read this scripture in context on the Grace Commentary, your free verse-by-verse study guide.

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Grace = divine aid
Revolution = a turn or change

A Grace Revolution means the church is coming into the freedom that grace brings. It means believers are resting in Christ’s finished work, instead of striving in their own strength. They’re walking in step with the Spirit, rather than trudging along in the old habits of the flesh.

There have been many Grace Revolutions or Reformations throughout history. But over the last 30 years or so there has been a modern Grace Revolution. Check out this graph:

Over the past 30 years, there has been an explosion of grace-based literature. In the early 1990s, you were lucky to see one new book a year. Today, more than 50 new titles on the gospel of grace are released annually, and that number is rising fast.

As of mid-2025, there were over 400 books listed on Amazon with both “gospel” and “grace” in the title—a staggering number. Most of them had been published in just the last five years.

Once upon a time, authors would send me their grace books to review on Escape to Reality. However, about ten years ago, I had to say “Stop” because there were simply too many to read.

It’s not just books.

It used to be that if you wanted to watch or listen to a sermon about grace, you had to get your hands on a VHS tape or audio cassette. As recently as twenty years ago, there were fewer than 100 podcast episodes on the gospel of grace. Now there are more than 4,000.

Twenty years ago, there was no YouTube. Now there are more than 225,000 YouTube videos with the words “gospel” and “grace” in their description.

When I started Escape to Reality, there were only a handful of grace bloggers and I knew them all either personally or by reputation. These days, there are countless bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and social media influencers all proclaiming the message of grace.

Which is super-encouraging.

If you’re looking for grace-based teaching, you’ll find no shortage of books, videos, and articles to help you grow. And while grace-based churches are harder to find, it’s a strong beginning.

When you think how far we’ve come in the past few years, we can only get excited about what is still to come. The Grace Revolution is gaining momentum and bearing fruit all over the world.

If you would like to learn more about the Grace Revolution – why it’s happening and who the influential players are – or if you want to see sources for the numbers I just presented, check out my new book The Grace Revolution: Who, What, When, How and Why. Supporters can download it for FREE on my Patreon page.

Over the past few years, many have spoken of a “grace revolution” that is sweeping across the globe. There has certainly been a grace awakening in my own life, but is it true to speak of a worldwide grace revolution? How would we know? What does a grace revolution even look like?

I have written a book that answers questions like these and more:

1. What is the Grace Revolution?
2. How to measure the Grace Revolution?
3. Who were the influential players in early stages of the Grace Revolution?
4. When did the modern Grace Revolution begin?
5. Why is there a Grace Revolution?

My new book is called The Grace Revolution: Who, What, When, How and Why? and supporters can get FREE in several ebook formats. At this stage, I have no plans to print it.

In the book, I discuss how the modern grace movement has been growing like bamboo. I also discuss the foundations of the movement and the key figures behind it.

Tell your friends,
Paul

Who told you about grace? Who told them?

The message of grace came to you via a long line of preachers and teachers. It began with Jesus and the apostles. Then others passed it on to someone who passed it to someone who passed it to you. Truly, you are proof of the enduring power of this message.

Have you ever thought about all those preachers and teachers who came before you? Have you ever wondered who laid the foundations of today’s grace movement?

After years of asking questions and digging deep, I’ve compiled a list of the most influential grace preachers and teachers from the past 70 years. The list includes names you may recognize, like E. W. Kenyon, Lewis Sperry Chaffer, and W. Ian Thomas. It also includes many you will not.

I’m not talking about the hundreds of people who are preaching grace now, but the smaller number of influential grace preachers who preceded them. The full list is available free on my Patreon page.

Click here to read it and let me know who I’ve missed.

Grace and peace,
Paul

You can learn a lot about people by the way they talk.

People who have been apprehended by the grace of God talk about Jesus, love, and faith. They use words like “favor,” “freedom,” “rest,” “righteousness,” and “life.”

In contrast, those who bear the heavy yoke of dead religion speak of sin, debt, and obligation. They use words like “duty,” “strive, “command,” “penalty,” and “punish.”

The keywords of grace and law are easy to recognize, for they are the languages of two tribes, the old and new creation. A believer who is walking in their identity as a child of God is easily recognized because they do not talk like a slave of sin. They have learned to speak the new language of the new creation.

Which makes it all the more curious that Paul, the apostle of grace, should say this:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation… (Romans 8:12)

For those of us who speak the language of grace, this is a jarring statement. “We have an obligation.” What obligation? Some Bible translations say, “We are debtors.” What debt?

How can the man who said “Owe no one anything” in Romans 13, speak of debts and obligations in Romans 8? If forgiveness means the cancelation of debts, what debt remains?

As we will see, Paul is saying something good and inspiring. But first, let’s look at how some misuse this verse to promote dead works:

We are debtors to God who have been called to live in a holy way. We cannot sit around and merely receive God’s gifts. We are obliged to say no to the flesh and put it to death.

This sounds true because Paul talks about putting to death the deeds of the body in the next verse. But it’s totally wrong in the sense that it shackles you with this idea that you owe God and you can repay him through proper living.

In the economy of grace, there are no debts to be repaid, and you are not obligated to repay God for his kindness (as if you could).

It’s an invitation

In this obligation verse, Paul is calling us to walk in the new life that God has given us. Just as a bird must fly and a fish must swim, the children of God are called to shine as sons of God (see verse 14). You were a pauper but now you’re a prince, so act like one. Those in Christ are royalty, so reign.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh… (Romans 8:12)

Don’t look at your old life with any sense of obligation or nostalgia. There is nothing for you back there. Your only “obligation” is to embrace the freedom that Christ Jesus purchased for you.

Do you see? Paul is not holding some debt over our heads; he’s calling us to live the life that is ours in Christ.

God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” (Romans 8:14–15, MSG)

But wait. This is not the only time Paul talks about obligation:

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. (Romans 1:14)

Here’s another verse that can be hijacked to promote dead works. “Look what Jesus did for you. What will you do for him?”

Our religious flesh loves this kind of talk. “I’ll do anything for you, Lord.” But fall for this and you will fall from grace. You’ll come under the condemnation of the law. “If you’re not witnessing to at least one person a week, you’re not a real Christian.”

Yuk. When we hear stuff like that, we need to remind ourselves that we are NOT under obligation to the flesh – especially not religious flesh.

Compelled by love

Why did Paul feel obliged to preach the gospel to Greeks and barbarians? He felt obliged for the same reason parents feel “obliged” to nurture their children or husbands and wives feel “obliged” to care for one other. They can’t help it. They are motivated by love, and it is their very great pleasure to serve.

God did not demand, require or obligate Paul to preach the gospel, for grace comes with no price tags. It was the love of Christ that compelled Paul to tell others the good news. He did not care whether he was preaching to civilized Greeks or illiterate barbarians, intellectual giants or provincial bumpkins. He just wanted people to know that God loved them.

Again, it’s the bird and fish thing. We children of God do what we do because we are the children of God. We don’t run after sin (it’s not in our nature), but we shine with the Father’s love (because it is in our nature). As new creations, we have new instincts, new desires, new dreams.

So rest, relax, breathe. You have no debt to repay and there’s no obligation you must fulfill. There is no expectation that you must be another Paul or that you must do this or that. There’s just a glorious opportunity to exercise your God-given gifts and be who you truly are in Christ.

When you are resting in Christ and basking in your Father’s love, you will shine with the light of his glory. It’s inevitable.

—

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Here’s a question I have for the Jehovah’s Witnesses who knock on my door. “If you believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven, why are you diminishing your chances of salvation by trying to save me?”

Turns out, the JW’s have an answer for that question: a two-tier salvation plan. The elites or “the elect” make it to heaven, while the rest of us remain earthbound for eternity.

Jesus and the apostles referred to “the elect,” and for 2000 years, people have been asking, “Who are the elect”?

I’m not here to criticize the JWs, but to illustrate that different groups offer different interpretations of “the elect.” The JW’s say the elect are the top 144,000 anointed believers, while Calvinists say the elect are those sovereignly chosen by God. Here’s John Calvin writing in Institutes of the Christian Religion (3:21:5):

All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation.

In other words, God chooses some to be saved and those lucky few are called “the elect.” I guess Calvin thought he was part of the elect, but what about the rest of us?

The elect = the chosen

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? (Romans 8:33)

The original adjective eklektos, which is translated here and many other places as “elect”, means “chosen.” In fact, that is how the word is sometimes translated in Scripture: “Many are called, but few are chosen (eklektos)” (Matt. 22:14). So the verse above can be read as, “Who would dare to bring an accusation against those whom God chooses?”

Who does God choose?

Peter addressed his letter to those “scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen” (1 Pet. 1:1). Who are the chosen? Does God choose some and reject the rest, as the Calvinists say? Does he choose only a tiny proportion of the human race, as the JW’s say?

Saint, I have some good news for you. You have been chosen by God.

God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation… (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

If you have responded to the gospel call, you have been chosen.

But note: choosing you does not mean that God has rejected your neighbor, your workmate, or anyone. The kingdom of God is not some Ivy League college with a cap on admissions.

God’s salvation call goes out to the ends of the earth – no one is excluded. You can be sure that the Lord receives ALL who come to him.

… the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out. (John 6:37)

Did God choose me or did I choose him?

Both! In a manner of speaking, “the chosen” choose themselves by responding in faith to the gospel call. But since the Lord initiates the call, it’s accurate to say we are God’s chosen.

What about this verse:

He chose us in him before the foundation of the world… He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself… (Ephesians 1:4–5)

Predestination does not mean that God chooses some and rejects others. It means God had a plan.

The original word for predestined (proorizo) is made up of two words: pro, meaning fore, and horizo, meaning horizon or boundary. The God who sees the end from the beginning knew who would respond to the gospel. Before time began, he wrote their names in the Book of Life (Rev. 17:8).

For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom he predestined, he also called; and these whom he called, he also justified; and these whom he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29–30)

Some say that we are unable to move towards salvation. “Being dead in sin, we can’t do a thing. It is all God.” Salvation is indeed all God, but it is still up to us to repent and believe the good news (Mark. 1:15).

Who qualifies to be included in the elect?

We are all qualified by grace. The only ones who are excluded are those who exclude themselves by rejecting the grace of God.

Formerly, you were without God in this world (Eph. 2:12), but the moment you put your faith in the Lord, you crossed over from death to new life (John 5:24). You became a new creation, part of the elect and God’s chosen people.

But you are a chosen people… Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10)

In the New Testament, believers are referred to as “the called of Jesus Christ,” “the chosen,” and “the elect.” These are all different labels for the family of God. They do not refer to top-tier performers or elite-level Christians.

We are all one in Christ.

—

This month on my Patreon page: enjoy a classic sermon on grace from a man who trained over 1,000 missionaries, a video update on my next book (featuring a special cameo!), exclusive bonus materials for our series on the Patriarchs, and news on grace resources being shipped to Africa.

Sometimes, life knocks you down so hard that you feel like a lowly worm and that the whole world is out to get you. “Everything is against me,” said Jacob after he lost his wife and his son. But the good news is that God helps the lowly:

“Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you,” declares the Lord… (Is. 41:14)

It may shock you to hear God calling Jacob a worm, but it should reassure us to hear God refer to himself as “the mighty One of Jacob” (e.g., Is. 49:26). Here is what a certain Victorian preacher said about that:

What a combination! Thou worm Jacob, the Mighty One of Jacob! A worm united to Omnipotence! What is so weak and worthless as a worm! What is so mighty as the Mighty One of Jacob! I want to tell the story—not of Jacob, but Jacob’s God; not of a man, but the all-sufficient God displacing man and substituting his own infinite fullness.

That preacher was A.B. Simpson, the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and the trainer of countless missionaries. In 1899, A.B. Simpson preached a series of sermons entitled “But God.” In it, he examined how the grace of God changes the lives of people like Jacob.

If ever there was a man that deserved to be called a worm, it was the supplanting son of Isaac. And yet this was the man whom God selected from among all the patriarchs to be head of Israel’s tribes and the real founder of the covenant people to whom was committed the oracles of God. Therefore, Jacob is more especially fitted to set forth the grace of God than any other of the Bible characters.

While preparing my series on the Patriarchs, I stumbled across Simpson’s brilliant sermon “The God of Jacob.” It’s a zinger.

God chose this man to prove that there is no class of humanity so hard, so hopeless, as not to be within reach of sovereign grace, indeed, that God loves a hard case and that “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” If there is someone reading these lines who is discouraged about himself, remember Jacob, and then remember Jacob’s God, the One that could choose a worm and make him a prince with God and with men.

In his classic sermon, A.B. Simpson tells the story of how God’s grace turned Jacob the Sinner into Israel the Patriarch. (I highly recommend reading the whole sermon. I have edited it for modern readers and will post it on my Patreon page.)

Simpson says that everyone comes to a crisis point – “one night of loneliness, one hour of deep trouble” – where God reveals himself to them as he did to Jacob at Bethel. From that moment, we know God is real and that he is our Friend. In our crisis, we choose whether to trust him and rely on him.

“The greatest need of every human heart,” says Simpson, “is to know the resources and sufficiency of God.” Our greatest need is to quit relying on ourselves, and trust fully in his grace.

God is good – we all say it. But knowing that God is good to me and that he longs to reveal his goodness every day is something we may have trouble believing.

“Surely his goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,” said the Psalmist, and we say those words too. But saying and knowing are different things. We need to preach this good news to ourselves until we are fully assured and totally convinced, otherwise we’ll take the long, hard route of Jacob.

I’m no better than Jacob. I have low moments of worry and fear, just like anyone. And I know that life would be better if I daily took God at his word.

The ruin of the human race came by discrediting and doubting God’s word to our first parents. ‘Has God said?’ was the fountain of all sin. ‘God has said’ is the foundation, therefore, of our restoration.

Happily, God never leaves us in our lowly, doubting state. When we worry and tremble, he does not wash his hands of us and walk away. Our heavenly Father stays with us. He remains faithful even when we are not.

Such is the mighty One of Jacob.

When Camilla and I took over the pastoring of a church back in 1999, everyone thought it was a good idea – everyone, that is, except me. I thought picking me was a terrible idea for many reasons. For starters, I had never been to Bible School. But it all worked out, and in hindsight, I can see God was training me for everything that followed.

When God calls us in a certain direction, it’s natural to come up with reasons why it’s a bad idea:

Moses: “I stutter” (Ex. 4:10)
Gideon: “I’m a nobody” (Jdg. 6:15)
Jeremiah: “I’m just a kid” (Jer. 1:6)
Peter: “I’m a sinner” (Luke 5:8)

It seems that God delights in picking unqualified people. He chooses the wrong guy or girl, and then he shows us what he can accomplish through the wrong guy or girl.

Surely, the best example of picking “the wrong guy” was Saul the Pharisee. Saul hunted Christians for a living, yet God picked him to build the church. Amazing.

Sidebar: Some of the disciples Jesus picked were the wrong gender, yet God chose them to be the first evangelists of the resurrection and leaders in the early church.

These days, there is a lot of pressure for would-be ministers to get educational qualifications. You gotta have a Ph.D or a D.Div. You gotta be certified. A good education is important if you want to be a surgeon or an engineer, but ask yourself which of the following sentences is in the Bible:

“I was made a minister, because I earned a certificate.”
“I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace.”

The second sentence comes from Ephesians 3:7. Paul was an educated man but when it came to ministry he relied solely on God’s grace.

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Paul never said, “I studied for years under the original apostles until they taught me everything they knew.” Instead, he said the leaders in the Jerusalem church “recognized the grace that had been given to me” (Gal. 2:9).

(Incidentally, this is what leaders do. They recognize and call out the gifts God has given to every believer. They help others work out the dreams God has placed in their hearts. More here.)

Training is valuable and learning from others will help you avoid repeating their mistakes. But don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot exercise your gifts unless you have the right education, the right connections, and the right gender. Such a mindset would have been totally foreign to the early church.

For we are God’s fellow workers… according to the grace of God which was given to me (1 Corinthians 3:9–10)

In the old covenant, only Levites could serve as priests. But in the new covenant we are all royal priests.

In the old covenant, only some were anointed to serve. But in the new covenant, we are all anointed and his anointing teaches us all things (1 John 2:20–27).

In the old covenant, the priestly caste was recognized by their outer adornments. But in the new covenant, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10)

Let no one disqualify those whom God has qualified. Let no one tell you that you must earn their approval before you heed the call of God.

Get trained and learn all you can, but don’t ever think you are qualified on account of your effort or disqualified by your reputation, pedigree or gender.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly (Romans 12:6)

What a privilege it is to be called and qualified by God! From our limited understanding, it may seem that God sometimes picks the wrong people. I certainly thought that when I found myself leading a church in Hong Kong, and I’m sure there went plenty who thought Saul was a terrible choice for apostle.

Truly, God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows the gifts he’s given us and all he asks is that we trust him to reveal himself through us to others. Don’t look for the approval of people. Fix your eyes on the Lord and rest. He will do the rest.

You are qualified by the Lord. And the same grace of God that empowered the apostles, empowers you (Rom. 12:6).

—

Next week I will be wrapping up my series on the Patriarchs with a link to a Classic Sermon – my first in three years.

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The three Patriarchs of Israel represent three types of people. Abraham is the believer, Isaac is the fearful, and Jacob? Well, he was the sinner.

Don’t get me wrong—I love Jacob. But from the moment he was born, he was labeled a trickster, and a trickster he proved to be. He deceived his brother, fooled his father, and fleeced his uncle. If a man’s character is measured by his behavior, Jacob was arguably the most flawed of the three Patriarchs.

And yet, God blessed this sinful man. Which is good news for us because we are all sinners in need of grace.

Grace for sinners

We pick up the story after Jacob has fled his home (see Gen. 27:43). After deceiving his father and taking his brother’s birthright he spends the night at a place he will call Bethel. He dreams of angels ascending and descending between heaven and earth. In the dream, he hears God speaking to him:

I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and I will keep you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. (Genesis 28:13–15)

If you have been following our series on the Patriarchs, you will recognize this as the same promise God made to Abraham and Isaac. It is a promise of unconditional blessing. It is a promise of grace, filled with divine “I wills.”

Whenever you hear the “I wills of God,” you know that you are in the Land of Promise.

The promises of God

We should note that Jacob has done nothing to deserve these promises from God. If anything, he deserves punishment for his sins. But God’s grace is unaffected by our performance or pedigree. God blessed Jacob—and he blesses us—simply because it pleases him to do so.

Now, imagine you are Jacob hearing the voice of God. What do you do next?

I like to think I would be overwhelmed with praise and thanksgiving. The direction of my life has just changed. I was cursed, but now I’m blessed, and all this is to the glory of God.

But that’s not what Jacob does. Oh no. “Jacob made a vow” (Gen. 28:20). Like many people who want to experience the favor of God, Jacob tries to make a deal.

If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God… and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth to you. (Genesis 28:20–22)

What a scandal! What an insult! Instead of receiving the promise of God, this sinner responds with a promise of his own.

“I’ve got a better idea. If you do this for me, then I will do this for you.” And then he invents tithing.

By offering a counter-proposal, Jacob basically accuses God of being a liar. “I don’t accept your promise. Here’s mine.” It’s a wonder Jacob remains standing. It is testament to the patience of God that lightning does not fall from heaven and fry this blasphemer!

Jacob the Sinner becomes Jacob the Self-righteous

Making promises to God might sound spiritual, but it is one of the greatest manifestations of ego and pride. Who are we to bargain with the Creator?

But I’m not judging Jacob because we’ve all been there. In moments of zeal or fear we say things like, “God, I promise, just do this one thing for me and I will…”

Jacob’s self-righteousness isn’t surprising. What’s surprising is that God isn’t the least bit offended. He overlooks Jacob’s snotty arrogance and keeps his promise. God keeps his word, not because of Jacob, but in spite of him.

Which speaks volumes about the amazing grace of God. Not matter how sinful or self-righteous you are, God loves you and wants to bless you. You may reject God’s promises or try and match them with your own, but he will not quit on you because grace won’t let go.

Fast forward two decades and Jacob is an older, wiser man. He returns to Bethel where he meets God again. What does the Lord say? Does he rebuke Jacob for his earlier arrogance and wasted years? No. The Lord repeats his promise:

I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation… and kings shall come from you. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I give to you and your descendants. (Genesis 35:11–12)

This time, Jacob does not respond with stupid promises of his own. He doesn’t bargain or try to earn it what God has given him. He receives the promise, worships God, and sets up a pillar as a reminder of God’s presence and grace.

The lesson of Jacob is not that God blesses promise makers, but that he—the Lord—is both Promise Maker and Promise Keeper. This is the revelation of grace.

The gospel is not an invitation to do things for God, but an announcement of what he has done for you. We’re not blessed because of our deeds or words; we are blessed when we receive by faith the favor God wants to give us.

“Paul, I already know all this. I know I’m blessed on account of God’s grace.”

Great! Make sure you don’t forget it. Learn from old Jacob and build a pillar or write a note or paint a picture. Do something, anything, that helps you remember who God is and what he has promised.

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Learn more about how Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob heard and responded to the grace of God in the bonus materials that accompany this article on Patreon.

I have a confession to make. I like gangster movies. Everything I know about organized crime I learned from watching movies like The Godfather, The Untouchables and The Road to Perdition.

If these movies have taught me anything, it’s that success in the criminal underworld requires dedication, service and years of unflinching loyalty. I learned this from one of my favorite movie gangsters, Lefty Ruggiero, in the 1997 movie Donnie Brasco:

Keep your nose clean, be a good earner, follow the rules, and who knows? Maybe one day they open the books, you get straightened out, become a wise guy, a made guy.

Strangely, this is how some people see their future in the kingdom of God.

They think that if they serve the Lord faithfully for years, one day, when the books are opened, they’ll get called up and accepted as full members in the family of God. They’ll get promoted and be recognized as a “made guy,” one of God’s capos.

It would be funny, except this mindset has enslaved many of our brothers and sisters. Like Lefty, they’re waiting for a call that never comes.

In the movie, Lefty’s tragedy is that he has been a loyal soldier for years yet he has never been called up by the skippers. As a result, he’s frustrated and bitter. He feels used and overlooked. Which is how you would feel if you had invested your life in a system that failed to reward your years of service.

Sound familiar?

Manmade religion holds out the promise of promotion in order to enslave the free. Religious gangsters say, “Work hard, keep your nose clean, and maybe one day you’ll be called up, recognized and rewarded.” In other words, you have to serve and prove yourself if you wish to be numbered among those who are…

…the called of Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:6)

Who are “the called” of Christ (Romans 1:6)?

This is one of those questions that can lead to division and debate. Ask a theologian, “How do I become the called of Christ?” and you may get a long speech about predestination, prevenient grace, and sacramental participation. Yawn.

The truth is far simpler. “The called of Christ” are believers. That’s it.

There are many references in the New Testament to “the called.” This is not some elite club of super-Christians. “The called” is simply another name for the family of God.

What is the call of God?

Have you heard the call of God? Here it is:

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22)

If you hadn’t heard the call of God before, now you have. You’re welcome.

Some people like to say they found God. It is more accurate to say they responded to his call. They heard the gospel – the call of Christ – and responded in faith.

Who gets called?

For too long, the world has been afflicted with the lie that says God calls only a select few. It’s not true. Through the gospel, God calls ALL OF US to himself, Jew and Gentile alike. Paul told the Athenians, “God declares to all that all people everywhere should repent” (Act 17:30). God’s call is universal.

(If you need to see this in scripture, check out Rom 9:24, 1 Cor. 1:24, and 1 Tim. 2:3–4.)

Sadly, not everyone responds to the call of God, but those who do are known as “the called of Jesus Christ” or simply “the called” (Jude 1:1).

The call of God is not based on your merits but his grace (Gal. 1:6, 2 Tim. 1:9).

His call is not based on your work, but Christ’s finished work.

His call is not based on your faithfulness, but his faithfulness.

So discard those gangster notions about trying to prove yourself or becoming a made guy. You were “made” the moment you were born again. In Christ, you are a brand new creation.

Pay no attention to religious gangsters who use threats to extort money and service from others (e.g., Matt. 23:14). If gangster movies have taught us anything, it’s that working for gangsters is always a bad idea. The story of Lefty Ruggiero does not end well, and your story will not end well if you think you must be a loyal soldier to win your Father’s approval.

He is God your Father, not the godfather.

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From the E2R Archives: What makes a great Christian movie?

Got a question about a tricky scripture? Check out The Grace Commentary.

I don’t say this enough, but those who preach the good news are the most beautiful people on earth.

Just imagine how different your life would be if someone hadn’t told you the good news of God’s grace. I was raised as a PK (a Pastor’s Kid), so it was inevitable that I heard the gospel early. But some people live their whole lives without hearing the good news. How sad is that?

If you know that God provides salvation, healing, and deliverance, it is because someone was kind enough to tell you. How grateful we are that someone brought us the good news of the God who loves us, accepts us and makes us his own.

How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” (Romans 10:15)

“How beautiful” is an expression that means “How welcome” or “Thank God you came!” I imagine this was the reaction that Peter experienced at the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:44–45) or Paul got in the house of the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31–34).

Maybe you have seen this reaction in others. Maybe you told someone the good news and they said, “Thank you, I really needed to hear that.” In that moment, you were a beautiful preacher.

Beautiful good news preachers

Imagine a world full of beautiful preachers. Imagine behind every pulpit there is a beautiful preacher preaching good news of good things. Imagine every time you sit next to a believer on a plane, you hear about the kindness of God. Imagine on every street corner or social media feed there are people proclaiming God’s grace.

It’s hard to imagine, right?

So here’s my question: Considering all the Christians in the world, why aren’t there more beautiful preachers? The answer is in the verse:

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!

A beautiful preacher brings good news of good things. They do not bring bad news of bad things. They do not preach condemnation, damnation, and judgment.

“Good things” are the blessings of God that are revealed in the gospel: his unconditional love, radical acceptance, the complete forgiveness of all our sins, the gift of righteousness, peace, joy, intimacy, fruitfulness, and eternal life. These are the good things proclaimed by beautiful preachers.

Ugly bad news preachers

There was a time in my life when I thought that people would not appreciate the good news unless I first told them the bad news. So I became a bad news preacher. I preached bad things like guilt and condemnation. Then I realized something – the world does not need more bad news.

Jesus said, “Preach the good news in every nation.” He did not say, “But preach the bad news first.”

Now I tell people the good news of God’s good things. I tell people how much God cares for them and what he has done for them. I tell them about the love of God revealed in Jesus.

Some people get upset when I do this. They say, “You’re not telling them the whole picture.” “You haven’t mentioned sin, guilt, or punishment.” “You’ve said nothing about hell and judgment.”

I want to reply, “Those are bad things. They are not good things.” Instead, I usually say, “There’s no bad news in the good news” and leave it at that.

So, two takeaways:

First, take care who you listen to. Beware the ugly feet of those who preach condemnation, damnation, and judgment. It’s true that Jesus occasionally spoke of judgment to self-righteous people who thought they knew God’s heart better than he did. But most of the time, Jesus revealed grace. He preached good news of good things to people who were hurting.

Second, if you want to be a more beautiful preacher – one who bears the fragrance of Christ – make two lists. Make a list of good things (all the blessings of God that are ours in Christ) and a list of bad things. Then, when you talk to people, only use the first list.

“But Paul, how will people know about sin and guilt if I don’t tell them?”

They already know. Most people know they are not perfect. Most people live with constant reminders of their weaknesses and flaws. They don’t need you to tell them they are broken. They need to hear that God loves them just as they are, that he accepts them, and that he can heal them and make them whole.

Whether you are on a pulpit or a plane, whether you have a platform or a page, tell people the good news of good things.

Do that, and you will be a beautiful preacher.

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As a father, I want to give my kids good things—love, food, shelter, opportunities, and memories. But the one thing I want to give them most is a revelation of our heavenly Father.

I’m convinced that the reason God made fathers, mothers, aunties, uncles, grandparents and caregivers so that children might have living signposts to the Father.

And this is why I believe Isaac was a failed father.

Lately, our family has been reading the Dramatised Bible around the table. The scripts in that Bible bring old stories to life. They’re lots of fun and they trigger discussion and insight.

One thing I’ve come to appreciate through re-enacting these stories is how flawed Isaac was as a father. As the father of Esau and Jacob, he comes across as a subpar father at best.

Here are three signs that you are a bad dad:

• You can’t tell your sons apart—even though they are totally different
• You bless one son, then tell the other, “Sorry, kid, I have no blessings left for you”
• You raise a dysfunctional family where deception and favoritism are normal

The fruit of Isaac’s poor fathering was violence—“I’m going to kill that brother of mine,” said Esau – and separation—Jacob spent the next 20 years living in a foreign land (see Gen. 27).

Which makes you wonder how Isaac could have been such a poor father when he had so much going for him. He was the miracle baby, the child of promise. God gave Isaac the same promises of blessing he gave to Abraham. What was Isaac’s problem?

He battled with fear and unbelief.

In the Bible, God speaks to Isaac two times. On the first occasion, God instructs Isaac not to go down to Egypt but to remain in the land of Canaan.

Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands… and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 26:3–4)

Wow! This is a promise to treasure and pass on to your children. You get a promise like this and every day you’ll get up saying, “God is with me, he has blessed me, and he’s giving me a large family.”

But Isaac didn’t do this.

Fear vs faith

Although Isaac stayed in the land, he battled with fear: “He was afraid” (Gen. 26:7). When local men took an interest in his beautiful wife Rebekah, Isaac panicked. Instead of trusting God, he lied and said she was his sister.

Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear says, “God is not with me” or “God cannot protect me.” Fear leads to superstition and dead works. Fear will have you making vain promises to God or praying like mad with worry. In Isaac’s case, his fear and distrust led him to tell lies and deceive people.

We know fear was the issue because the second and last time God spoke to Isaac, he said, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” (Gen. 26:24). God had to remind Isaac of what he should have already known.

We remember Isaac for his success in planting crops, but we overlook his failures in raising a family. He had faith for farming but not fathering. That mix of faith and fear produced a fractured home filled with favoritism, deceit, and bitterness.

As parents, we may fear for our families. We may worry that our kids will go astray or that something bad will happen to them.

We cannot control everything that happens to our children, but we can guard the garden of our hearts. We uproot these fears by reminding ourselves that God is greater than what we are facing and that he is with us and desires to bless our families. Isaac did not do this, but we can learn from his mistakes.

How to be a better parent

If you want to be a better parent, get in the habit of reminding yourself that God is a good Father:

1. Unlike Isaac, God knows you (and your kids) better than you know yourself. He knows everything you’ve done and everything you’re going to do and he loves you just the same. He knows how you are made and he numbers the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7).
2. Unlike Isaac, God is not stingy with grace. He does not bless some and curse others. He does not show favor based on pedigree or performance but he desires to bless us all with his abundant grace.
3. Unlike Isaac, God is raising a family where we are all accepted and loved just as we are.

Life is full of trials and troubles, cares and concerns. Isaac was surrounded by men who envied him and stole his wells. But the real danger came from within—fear rooted in unbelief.

Fear left unchecked will poison your mind, weaken your marriage, and ruin your family. Fear will make you a bad parent like Isaac. Fear will mess up your kids.

Don’t let fear rule your home. Don’t let fear grow in your heart.

Instead, fix your eyes on your heavenly Father. God is good and he longs to be good to you. Trust his promises. Teach them to your children. Cast your cares on him, knowing that he cares for you, and be blessed.

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We can learn a lot from fearful Isaac, the Patriarch who heard from God the least. Learn more about how Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob heard and responded to the grace of God in the bonus materials that accompany this article on Patreon.

Some truths have the power to bring healing and hope. Here’s an example:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

This may be the most comforting verse in the Bible. But for some people, this verse causes pain. They read those four words – “God causes all things” – and come away thinking that God is partially responsible for the evil and suffering in the world.

“God gave me cancer.” “God took my baby.” “God sent that earthquake.”

A verse that is meant to comfort and give them hope leaves them numb and nihilistic. Because honestly, if God is the ultimate cause of all the bad stuff in the world, what’s the point?

Thankfully, God is not like this. God is not the author of evil. He is the shadowless Father of Lights and the Giver of all good things (Jas. 1:17). While bad things may have a hundred causes, God is not one of them.

As always, we need to read the verse in context.

Bad things, good things

Paul spends large chunks of Romans talking about bad things – the fall of humanity (chapter 5), our utter lostness (chapter 3), and the depravity of the world (chapter 1). You don’t need to watch the news to know the world is broken and people are hurting.

But what you may not know, says Paul, is that God can make GOOD THINGS out of BAD THINGS. In fact, God is so good at this that there is no bad situation he cannot turn around for good.

Joseph was sold into slavery, Moses was a fugitive, and David was a murderer. Their lives were over, except God had other plans. What men meant for evil, God repurposed for good because that’s what he does. He takes the shards of your life and makes something beautiful.

When Paul says, “God causes all things to work together for good,” he means, “Cheer up. God’s got this. You can be confident that the Great Redeemer can and will bring good out of your situation.”

All things

What a fortress is this promise! What a comfort in our hour of need. God causes all things to work together for good. “All things” means no situation is beyond the reach of God’s healing grace.

“All things” includes bad days, sinning weeks, and wasted years.

“All things” includes disease, despair, and depression.

“All things” includes death, war, and pandemics.

To the Christian who has lost her hope, her way, and her faith, God says, “We are not done. Things will work out.” God never robs us or makes us sick, but he works through our hurts to draw us to himself and reveal his glory in our brokenness.

This promise is for believers and “those who are called according to his purpose.”

God’s purpose

Do you know God’s purpose? God’s purpose is not merely to rescue you and conform you to the image of his Son. He plans to restore all that was lost.

“Creation will be set free from its slavery to corruption,” says Paul. “Creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19–21).

The world is in a bad way, but God’s redemptive purposes will come to pass.

In the eternal age of the new creation, there will be healing, harmony, and everlasting peace. Everything in the spiritual and physical realms will be made new and filled with the presence of God.

You may say, “My pain is too great. I have trouble finding the comfort in these words.” See the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus is proof of the promise.

What is our part in this? It’s to believe and take God at his word. Don’t give up but look up. Fix your eyes on the Redeemer. When others are running around in fear, point them to Jesus.

Your dreams may be dead, and your future may seem bleak. You may be hurting in the ash heap like Job or despairing of life like Paul (see 2 Cor. 1:8). Be comforted. God’s got you and nothing in life or death can separate you from his love.

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The following is an abridged extract from my new – and best-selling! thank you! – commentary, The Grace Bible: Romans.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly (Romans 12:6a)

We have gifts

Every believer has been graced by God with spiritual gifts to build the church and reveal the kingdom (Rom. 1:11, 1 Cor. 12:7, 14:3–4, 12). Just as we had natural talents in the family of Adam, in the new creation family of God, we have spiritual talents or abilities.

These spiritual gifts include those listed in the following two verses (prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and showing mercy) as well as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues (1 Cor. 12:8–10).

According to the grace given to us

We have all been “graced” or given spiritual gifts and abilities. “Each one has received a special gift” (1 Pet. 4:10).

For the church to thrive, we need to value the gifts God has given to our brothers and sisters. Sadly, this doesn’t happen in settings where women are side-lined. Paul says, “Each of us is to exercise our gifts,” but some say, “Women need to stay silent.” Significantly, Paul wrote these words to a church full of women who were active in ministry (e.g., Phoebe (Rom. 16:1), Prisca (Rom 16:3), Mary (Rom. 16:6), Junia (Rom. 16:7), Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis (Rom. 16:12)).

…exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6b–8)

Prophecy

The gift of prophecy is the ability to impart truth from God’s heart in a way that encourages, strengthens, and comforts others (Acts 15:32, 1 Cor. 12:10, 13:2, 14:3–5). Prophecy helps us understand spiritual mysteries (1 Cor. 13:2) and sometimes manifests in visions or foresight (e.g., Acts 11:28, 16:9–10, 21:10–11).

A prophet builds the church by calling forth God’s purposes and helping others walk in their God-given gifts and calling. People who prophetically speak forth the heart of God may also work as artists, activists, social entrepreneurs, community organizers, film-makers, corporate social responsibility directors, and government officials (e.g., Joseph and Daniel). New Testament prophets include Agabus (Acts 21:10), Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32), and the four daughters of Philip (Acts 21:8–9).

Service

The gift of service is the ability to reveal Jesus the Servant-king by helping others (e.g., 1 Cor. 16:15). It is taking care of the practical needs of those in the church (e.g., Acts 6:1–3). Stephanos and his family were praised by Paul for their service to the saints (1 Cor. 16:15).

Teaching

The original verb didaskō means “to instruct.” Godly teachers instruct people how to walk and grow in the grace of God (Col. 1:28, 2 Pet. 3:18). Typically, they do this by unpacking the Bible in a way that reveals Jesus (Luke 24:27).

People with this gift may also work as school teachers, lecturers, home school educators, trainers, science communicators, tour guides, content creators, authors, pastors, and more.

Exhorts

The gift of exhortation or encouragement is the ability to come alongside people and strengthen them in the Lord (e.g., Col. 4:11). Barnabas was gifted in this area and was known as the Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36).

People with this gift may work as life coaches, tutors, mentors, managers, ministers, volunteer coordinators, motivational speakers, influencers, and more.

Gives

The gift of giving is the ability to reveal the unbridled generosity of God the Giver while inspiring generosity in others. Godly givers gather and distribute resources in ways that reveal kingdom solutions to worldly problems.

People with this gift may work as investors, silent partners, philanthropists, patrons, sponsors, fundraisers, social entrepreneurs, scholarship coordinators, grant writers, and more.

Leads

The gift of leadership is the ability to set an example of relying so deeply on Christ that others are inspired to follow. The original verb proistemi means “to stand before,” not in the sense of a general standing before his troops (see Matt. 20:25–26), but in terms of watching over and setting an example for others to follow (1 Pet. 5:2–3). We can all lead, but specific leadership roles mentioned in the context of the church include apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (see Eph. 4:11).

Mercy

The gift of mercy or compassion is the ability to reveal the compassion of God by helping those who are hurting or in need. People with this gift may work as caregivers, foster parents, nurses, therapists, social workers, aid workers, activists, counselors, special education instructors, refugee support workers, paramedics, missionaries, chaplains, and more.

Cheerfulness

The original noun hilarotēs is related to a word that means “hilarious” or “merry.” In times of gloom and darkness, cheerful Christians shine.

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Paul’s letter to the Romans is the most quoted, most powerful, and most influential letter ever written. In it, Paul unveils God’s great plan to rescue broken humanity and fill the earth with a new creation.

The message of Romans has the power to change your life, yet many people miss it. They appreciate some bits of Romans, but other bits leave them confused. “Consider the kindness and severity of God,” or “Esau I hated,” or “He hardens whom he desires.” What is Paul saying?

Confusion opens the door to bad teaching. “God is kind, but he’s also nasty,” or “God chooses some but rejects others.” And the result is a mixed-up church that preaches a feeble gospel.

Romans isn’t complicated—it’s Christ revealed

As you may know, I have written a verse-by-verse commentary on Romans—it comes out next week—and I can assure you that much of the confusion is unwarranted. Much of the trouble comes from reading parts of Romans out of context or through a graceless lens.

To understand Romans, you need to start at the beginning:

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God… which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son… (Romans 1:1–3a)

The first verse of the letter tells us that Romans conveys the gospel of God which reveals the Son of God. In other words, Romans not about you or me. It’s about Jesus…

…who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:3–4)

The key to understanding Romans is right here in these opening verses. By unveiling Jesus Christ, Romans reveals the righteousness of God (Romans 1), the kindness of God (Romans 2), the faithfulness of God (Romans 3), the promise of God (Romans 4), the grace of God (Romans 5), and so on.

To understand Romans, we need to see the Jesus that Paul reveals in these opening verses. In verse 4 Paul describes Jesus five ways:

…who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:4)

1. Jesus is the Son of God

The gospel of God is about the Son of God, who became a Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

“But Paul, how can we be sure that Jesus is truly God’s Son? What sets him apart from the pretenders and self-proclaimed saviors?”

2. Jesus is risen

Paul lays down his trump card: the resurrection. A dead savior saves no one, but Jesus Christ conquered the grave. He broke the power of death and offers new life to all who come to him.

The resurrection is not a historical event to be debated in Sunday School. It is Day One of the new creation (Rom. 6:4–5; 1 Cor. 15:20–49). When we put our faith in the Risen Lord, we are transferred from death row into new life.

No king or Caesar ever rose from the grave, but the Author of Life did, and now he holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:18).

3. Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit

Jesus was raised by the Holy Spirit and ministered by the Spirit, confirming his divinity. But more than that, the same Spirit who raised Christ “will also give life to your mortal bodies” (Rom. 8:11).

The indwelling Holy Spirit transforms the believer and his role is explained in the middle chapters of Romans. No longer ruled by the flesh we can live Spirit-led, righteous lives. It’s the life we were made for.

4. Jesus is the Christ

For those waiting for the Messiah, Paul declares, “Jesus is your guy.” He’s the One promised in the Scriptures.

By calling Jesus “Christ” over sixty times in Romans, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is the anointed King foretold by the prophets.

5. Jesus is Lord

Here’s the title that encompasses all: Lord. The Jews called him Rabbi, but Christians call him Kyrios, meaning “the One supreme above all rule, authority, and dominion” (Eph. 1:21).

He was once known as Jesus of Nazareth (Matt. 26:71), but after his resurrection, he received a name above every name—Lord (Phil. 2:9–11). “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13). Paul refers to Jesus as Lord over twenty times in Romans (e.g., Rom. 1:4, 10:9, 14:9, etc.).

Romans is a rich letter that covers the full sweep of human history from beginning to end. Yet in just four verses, Paul hits the high points of the gospel: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Lord who was raised by the Holy Spirit.

In a nutshell, that’s the message of Romans. Paul does not write to dazzle you with his intellect or to provoke theological debates about who God supposedly chooses or rejects. He writes so that you may know that Jesus is the Risen Lord—and that all who call on him shall be saved (Rom. 10:9, 13).

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What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

• Abraham believed
• Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
• Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

2. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

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When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Peace is a precious gift, yet many people don’t have it. They’re stressed about today, worried about tomorrow, and regretful of the past.

Their lack of peace is peace is understandable. We live in an age of anxiety. Trials and troubles afflict us all and who knows what tomorrow may bring?

We all crave peace, but where do we get it? Some religions tell you that peace comes from within, from stilling yourself and letting go.

Yeah, right.

I don’t know about you, but I have never been able to generate lasting peace. I can fake peace, but not for long. Often, I feel like I’m a little boat riding on a tempest.

The good news is we can have peace. Here’s how.

How to have peace

In Romans, Paul says some wonderful things about peace, such as:

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. (Romans 15:33)

In a world troubled by fear and anxiety, God releases his shalom-peace. Peace does not come from ourselves. It comes from the God of peace who releases peace and joy by making broken things right and all things new.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father… (Romans 1:7)

The peace you and I both need comes from God our Father and we receive it by receiving his grace. Grace encompasses all of God’s blessings, while peace is the fruit of receiving his grace.

Don’t let this nugget pass you by. Peace is a gift to receive, not something to manufacture. Sadly, this is a truth many people do not know.

…the path of peace they have not known. (Romans 3:17)

Paul quotes Isaiah when he says humanity’s history is a woeful tale of injustice, oppression, and violence. Humanity seems stuck in an endless cycle of conflict and trouble. We pillage creation to fuel our lust for more. We tread on those who get in our way and we steal and kill to get what we want. If only there was a way to break the cycle.

Peace follows righteousness

In the old covenant, people prayed that God would bless and give them peace (Num. 6:24–26). In the new covenant, that prayer is answered. The Son reveals that God the Father has blessed you and given you his peace.

The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

In the kingdom of God, peace always follows righteousness. When we submit to the righteousness of God, our spirits abound in peace and joy.

The problem is that many people don’t submit to God’s righteousness. They don’t submit because they have not heard about the righteousness of God, which brings peace.

In context, Paul was talking about strife in the church and different viewpoints regarding meat and Sabbath keeping (see Rom. 14:1–5). When the peace of God rules our hearts, we will not be troubled by a brother or sister who has different convictions about food and special days. We will not look down on them as weak or inferior, but we will accept them and seek to build them up in the faith (Rom. 14:19).

Finally:

…the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)

If your mind is full of worldly concerns—your appearance, political intrigue, magazine gossip, job security, the doctor’s report—you will be anxious and depressed. But fill your mind with your Father’s good thoughts towards you, and you will be at peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers

Do you know the peace of God? If so, you have something to the world desperately needs.

We make peace by proclaiming the gospel of peace and revealing the way of peace, which leads us to the God of peace who gives us life and peace.

—

If you liked this, you will love my new verse-by-verse commentary on Romans.

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Paul

“The Grace Commentary is my daily study guide. It has helped me to see grace on every page of the Bible.” ~ a reader from Zambia

There are two paths to righteousness. The first path is called Works, and it is the basis of every religion ever invented. The second path is called Grace and it is the invention of heaven.

These two paths run in different directions. One goes up and the other down. And you can only walk on one path at a time:

If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. (Romans 11:6)

Which path are you on?

The Way of Works

The Way of Works is signposted by rules and regulations. “Do this, and you will be acceptable. Don’t do that, and you will be holy.”

It’s a path that appeals to our flesh. “If I keep God’s commandments, I will be righteous.”

It is a path that leads to death.

Sadly, many well-intentioned people are walking the Way of Works and they do not know they are going the wrong way. They honor the Ten Commandments and consider themselves moral and law-abiding people. They do not know that they are falling short even on their best days.

The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so. (Romans 8:7)

The irony is that someone who tries to keep the law is actually breaking the law. By trusting in themselves and their law-keeping abilities, they are elevating themselves above God. They are breaking the first commandment. “You shall have no other Gods before me” (Ex. 20:3).

Paul spends much of Romans talking about people who tried to do the works of law. He talks about religious types who “pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law” (Rom. 9:31).

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. (Romans 9:32)

It’s easy to dismiss Paul’s warnings as if they were written for other people. But millions of people are walking the Way of Works, and they are wretched and lost. This includes well-meaning churchgoers who think that God will accept them if they stop sinning, read their Bible every day, and serve faithfully. The problem is not what they are doing, but why they are doing it.

If you believe God will accept, bless, save, or sanctify you because of the things you do, you are going the wrong way. You are pursuing a righteousness based on the law, and you will never attain your goal.

The remedy is to get off the Way of Works, stop trusting in the law, and put your faith in God’s grace.

The Way of Grace

The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. The purpose of the law is to reveal the futility of relying on your flesh so that you might put your trust in Jesus. On the cross, God condemned sin in the body of Christ…

so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)

Note that the law is fulfilled in us, not by us, as we allow Jesus the Righteous One to reveal his righteous life through us.

When we walk in step with the Spirit, we keep the law without any conscious effort. Conversely, when we try to keep the law in our own strength, we fall short. The problem is not the law, which is good, but our flesh, which is weak.

Do you see the paradox? Those who try to keep the law can never succeed (see Romans 7), while those who trust in Jesus can never fail (Romans 8).

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

Christ is the end or fulfillment of the law. His cross is the exclamation mark that marks the end of the Way of Works.

The only road sign you need

The Way of Works has many road signs, but the Way of Grace has just one – the cross. When you come to the cross, you will either walk past it, believing you can make yourself righteous, or you will turn around and say, “I am done with works. I need grace.”

If you are working to make yourself acceptable and pleasing to God, stop. See the cross. See the God who justifies the ungodly on account of grace (Rom. 4:5).

If you believe you must confess sins and keep short accounts with God, stop. See the cross. Your sins are there (Rom. 4:7–8, 11:26–27).

If you believe you must keep the commands to prove you are holy, stop. See the cross. Christ is the end or fulfillment of the law for all who trust in him.

—

If you liked this, you will love my new verse-by-verse commentary on Romans.

For the past six months I have been writing a book on Romans. At times, I have felt like I was in the house of Gaius listening to Paul dictate his letter.

Imagine what that would have been like. Imagine hearing Romans for the very first time.

I can see Paul pacing the room and preaching like a man on fire. I see Tertius, the scribe, recording Paul’s words as fast. Seated around the room and listening intently are Paul’s Jewish friends, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater (see Rom. 16:21–23).

And I wonder how they reacted when Paul got to this bit:

Paul (dictating): “For I am not ashamed of the gospel… for in it the righteousness of God is revealed…” (Rom. 1:16–17)

Lucius: “What? I’m sorry to interrupt Paul, but are you saying the gospel reveals God’s righteousness? Like it was a secret? Do I need to remind you that we Jews have been praising God’s righteousness for centuries?”

Jason: “We sing songs about it. (Sings) ‘Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens’” (Ps. 71:19).

Paul: “Let me ask you – how do you know that God is righteous?”

Lucius: “The Law of Moses shows us God’s standard of righteousness and how he expects us to live.”

Paul: “How is that working out for you?”

Lucius: “Not well. We Jews have never been able to keep the law. In truth, the law is better at revealing our unrighteousness.”

Paul: “Uh-huh. The law reveals one kind of righteousness, but it’s not the kind that God has. The law condemns sinners, but God justifies sinners. So let me ask you again: how do you know that God is righteous?”

Jason: “Well… er… we just know.”

Paul: “How do you know that God is good and not bad? How do you know that he is faithful and not unfaithful?”

Sosipater: “Because of the promises God made to Abraham and the patriarchs.”

Jason: “Yes, those!

Paul: “What promises?”

Sosipater: “Oh, there were lots. God promised to bless the world through Abraham’s offspring.”

Jason: “He promised to send a Messiah to deliver us.”

Lucius: “And he promised to forgive our sins and give us new hearts.”

Paul: “So these promises hinted at the righteousness of God?”

Lucius/Jason/Sosipater: “Yes!”

Paul: “Don’t you see? All those wonderful promises have been fulfilled through his Son, Jesus Christ. This is what the gospel of God reveals, and this is news – good news.”

Lucius/Jason/Sosipater: (Looking thoughtful) Hmm.

Paul: “Lucius, you said the law reveals our unrighteousness, and I agree. The law inflames sin and condemns us (Rom. 7:8–13). For this reason, I maintain that ‘the law does not demonstrate the righteousness of God’ (Rom. 3:21).”

Lucius: “Whew.”

Paul: “But here’s the best part: ‘Our unrighteousness demonstrates God’s righteousness’ (Rom. 3:25).

Lucius: “Say, what now?”

Paul: “If we were good and righteous, we would not need a Savior. But we are unrighteous, lost and beyond hope (Rom. 3:23). That’s the bad news. The good news is that God loves us, and he keeps his promises. He has a plan for saving us and restoring creation. You might say that our unrighteousness provides him with an opportunity to reveal his righteousness.”

Jason: “And that’s why the Messiah came.”

Paul: “Yes! ‘The cross demonstrates the righteousness of God’ (Rom. 3:25–26). It displays God’s justice (toward sin) and his mercy (toward sinners). This is why I preach Christ crucified. The cross may be foolishness to the Gentiles and a stumbling block to the Jews, but if you can receive it, it reveals the righteousness of God.”

Lucius/Jason/Sosipater: “Hallelujah!”

Paul: “The Gospel reveals God’s faithfulness, and if you can receive it by faith, you will be enveloped in the righteousness of God, made new, and adopted into his family.”

Sosipater: “You should definitely put this in your letter.”

Paul: “Oh, I plan to.”

—

There is a right way and a wrong way to read the Bible (2 Tim. 2:14). The wrong way will leave you confused and condemned over your imperfect performance, while the right way will cause you to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is why it is critical to use study Bibles and commentataries that strengthen your faith by revealing Jesus Christ and the life-changing power of God’s grace.

In my free ebook, Which Study Bibles are Grace Based?, I list scriptures you can use to test whether your study Bible or commentary is preaching law, grace, or a mixture of the two.

Should I take this job? Should I move to this city? Should I marry this person? Should I join this church? Should I start a family?

Our lives are shaped by the decisions we make. Make good decisions, and you’ll have a good life.

But how do we make good decisions?

A wise man once said, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise” (Prov. 13:20).

And a spiritual man once said, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).

The Holy Spirit is the wisest Guide of all (see John 16:13). The Spirit can lead us in many ways (as I discuss in my ebook Spirit Soul & Body: How to Walk in the Spirit). One of the ways he leads is by giving us an affirming sense of peace:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. (Colossians 3:15)

The original verb, which is translated here as “rule” (brabeuō), means “umpire.” In the sporting arena, it is the umpire who decides. In the same way, it is the peace of Christ that helps us settle matters and make decisions.

The umpire of peace

We are not to be governed by anger, strife, fear, or worry. We are to be ruled or umpired by the peace of Christ.

When making an important decision, your heart should be filled with his peace. His peace protects you from heartbreak and disaster (Php. 4:7). If you lack his peace, do not act. Re-center your heart. Cast your cares and anxieties upon the Lord and receive his peace (1 Pet. 5:7).

Sometimes we make decisions based on our own understanding and the result is disaster. Our decisions are flawed because we are working with incomplete data. Only the Lord knows what tomorrow will bring. And this is why we need to trust him, even against our own judgment.

An example: Say you are offered something that seems good on the surface, but inside you are troubled and agitated. You need to pause and pay attention. Your spirit is sensing that something is amiss. You would do well to heed it.

Maybe you are considering a job applicant who ticks all the boxes, or you have been offered a generous relocation package, but your spirit is troubled. Stop and pray. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom before you make the next step.

Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:12–13)

When Paul said, “I had no rest for my spirit” (2 Cor. 2:13), he was saying he had no peace. For the spirit-filled believer, a loss of peace is a sign that all is not well.

This is a lesson I learned the hard way.

When you don’t listen

Years ago, when we lived in Hong Kong, I convinced Camilla that I needed to buy a Honda Shadow 750 motorcycle. “We’ll go cruising down the highway,” I said. “It’ll be fun.”

Camilla has ridden with me many times, but on this occasion, she was unsettled. “I don’t have a peace about it.”

She was troubled inside, but I dismissed her concerns. “You’re being a wet blanket.” I bought the motorbike.

A week later, we were cruising down the highway when we got caught between two boy racers going 100 miles an hour. By the grace of God, we survived a horrendous crash, but it was weeks before either of us could walk again.

I should’ve listened to my wife.

Learning to heed that internal umpire – the peace of Christ – is one of the smartest things you will ever do. The peace of Christ will protect you from danger and lead you in the path of life.

Provided you listen, of course.

—

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote about the peace of Christ and those things that can distract us from it. If you would like to dive deeper, check out my new verse-by-verse commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s also available free on the Grace Commentary.

Here is the most important paragraph in the most important letter ever written:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “but the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17)

The revealing of God’s righteousness is just about the greatest thing that ever happened. But what is “the righteousness of God,” and how was it revealed?

The righteousness of God revealed

I used to think the “righteousness of God” referred to God’s righteous character. Just as God is holy and wise, he is righteous and just. That is not what Paul is talking about here. Not exactly.

Note that Paul says the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel. In other words, before the gospel nobody really knew about the righteousness of God. When the psalmists and prophets of the Old Testament wrote about the righteousness of God (e.g., Psalm 71:19, 98:2, Is. 42:21), they didn’t have the complete picture.

So what is the complete picture?

After I began to understand grace, I saw this verse as referring to the gift of righteousness. In Romans 5, Paul says, “Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life” (verse 17). Giving righteousness is one way that God reveals his righteousness.

But again that is not the full picture.

What is the righteousness of God?

In Romans 1:17, the righteousness of God refers to his faithfulness in keeping his promises to make things right.

If God does nothing, he remains 100 percent righteous and just. But God has done something that reveals his righteousness – he has fulfilled all his promises in a way that demonstrates his faithfulness, justice, and mercy.

It’s all about the promises.

In the Old Testament, God promised to help, heal, and deliver us. These are the “I wills of God,” those things he has committed to do to save a world ravaged by sin.

Here’s a quick look at some of God’s promises:

• God to Adam: “It is not good for humanity to be alone. I will make a Helper” (Gen. 2:18).
• God to the devil: “There will be enmity between you and the woman, and her Seed shall crush you” (Gen. 3:15).
• God to Abraham: “Through your Seed all nations would be blessed” (Gen. 22:18).
• God to David: “Ask of me, and I will give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession” (Ps. 2:8).
• God to Israel: “I will remember your sins no more” (Jer. 31:34). “I will put my Spirit in you and give you a new heart” (Eze. 36:25–26).

The gospel reveals that these promises are fulfilled in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). Jesus is the Helper who comes to the aid of humanity. He is the Seed that crushes Satan’s head and blesses the nations. He is the King who bears our sins and gives us his Spirit.

To recap:

• The Old Testament: “God will help, heal, and deliver us.”
• The Gospel: “God has done what he promised – see the cross!”

But that’s not all Paul says about the righteousness of God:

1. Our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:5)

If we were good and righteous, we would not need rescuing. If we could save ourselves, we would not need a Savior. But we are unrighteous sinners, lost and beyond hope (Rom. 3:23).

Enter, God. Because God is good, he has a plan for saving us. Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous (Rom. 4:5). Because he is faithful to his creation, he intends to restore all things (Col. 1:20). Our unrighteousness provides an opportunity for God to demonstrate his righteousness.

2. The law does not demonstrate the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:21)

The law leads to self-righteousness; it does not reveal God’s righteousness.

If we could justify ourselves by keeping the law, we would not need God’s help. But no one can keep the law perfectly. Like a concrete life jacket, the law offers an illusion of safety while highlighting our captivity to sin.

3. The cross demonstrates the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:25–26)

The cross of Christ reveals the Creator’s faithfulness to creation (Rom. 8:19–21). It displays his justice (toward sin; Rom. 3:25) and mercy (toward sinners; Rom. 11:32).

If Christ had never gone to the cross, we might wonder whether God cared about all the pain and suffering in the world. And if God had punished every sinner, we might wonder whether he cared about us. But through the cross, God declares, “I love you, and I am making things right.”

From faith to faith

Now we come to the last bit:

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith (Romans 1:17)

Note that the Greek words for “faith” and “faithfulness” are the same. Here is my paraphrase:

For in it (the gospel), the righteousness of God (his plan to rescue us and restore creation) is revealed (made plain) from faith (the gospel reveals God’s faithfulness) to faith (and is received by faith).

The gospel reveals that God has done something unexpected and wonderful in fulfilling his promises. Through the cross, we see God’s love and faithfulness coming together like two great waves demolishing our prison of sin. We hear the thunderclaps of his justice and mercy shattering our bonds and setting us free.

The short version: You can have faith in God because the cross demonstrates his faithfulness to us and all creation.

—

If you liked this, you will love my new verse-by-verse commentary on Romans.

We who preach grace like to draw lines between the old and new covenants. We say things like, “In the old covenant, the emphasis was do, do, do, but in the new it is done, done, done.”

We talk about how everything changed after the cross, and how we are no longer under law but grace.

Instead of encouraging people to make promises to God, we proclaim God’s promises to us.

We ask questions like, “what makes the new covenant new?”

As a new covenant preacher, I love these sorts of contrasts. Clear lines in the sand illuminate the way of grace while warning us to beware dead works.

With that in mind, I want to suggest what may be the most important word in the new covenant. (If you have a different suggestion let me know in the comments.) The most important word is found in this verse:

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. (Colossians 2:6)

In the old covenant we gave, but in the new covenant we receive.

We receive the word (Mark 4:16), we receive love (1 John 4:19), we receive grace (Rom. 5:17), we receive faith (2 Pet. 1:1), we receive salvation (Rom. 6:23), we receive Christ (Col. 2:6), we receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), we receive righteousness (Rom. 5:17), we receive peace (John 14:27), we receive wisdom (Jas. 1:5), we receive the crown of life (Jas. 1:12), we receive the reward of our inheritance (Col. 3:24), and we receive rest (Matt. 11:28–29).

Do you see?

In the new covenant, every blessing comes to us as a free gift from God. Knowing what you have received will keep you from being deceived.

And being deceived is the danger.

Read the above verse in context and you will find it comes after a warning about not being led astray by persuasive arguments (Col. 2:4). We need to take care that we are not seduced by those who promote humanistic philosophy (Col. 2:8), religious rules and rituals (Col. 2:16–18, 20–23), and mystical visions (Col. 2:18).

How do we protect ourselves from being deceived?

“You began your walk by trusting Christ,” says Paul. “Keep doing that” (see Col. 1:23). To your faith, add no dead works, no sacrifices, and no rules.

Having received Christ by faith, walk in him by faith. It’s faith from first to last.

You might say that “faith” is the most important word in the new covenant. Faith is certainly essential. But people can get so hung up on faith (do I have enough faith? do I need more?) that they take their eyes off Jesus.

But with the word “receive,” the focus remains squarely on the Giver.

Jesus was often reminding the disciples to receive. “Ask and you shall receive” (John 16:24). “Everyone who asks receives” (Matt. 7:8). “He who receives me receives him who sent me” (John 13:20). “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Luke 18:17). “Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).

The new covenant is not about what you will do or give to God. It’s about what God has done and given to you. He has given you his Son, his love, his acceptance, his favor, his peace, and everything you will ever need.

The only question that remains is this: Have you received from the abundance of God’s grace, and are you continuing to receive?

—

If you liked this, you will love my new verse-by-verse commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

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Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

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If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”