Grace Roots

20 Years of Not Religion

2012-01-07T22:03:00.000-06:00

Today is a very special day for me. It was 20 years ago, on January 7, 1992, that my journey with the Lord began. It most definitely was not religion that had come over me (although I did get 'religious' for a short while). Rather, the Creator of the universe, and the One who holds it all together, met me personally where I was at and began wooing me with His love and grace, and I've never been the same since.

I tinkered around with a written blog post, describing my thoughts about all this, but it just wasn't coming out right so I made this video instead.

Do You Want To Be Made Whole?

2011-12-30T11:00:00.012-06:00

“Surely He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows." (Isaiah 53:4)

“Do you want to be made whole?” This is a question that Jesus asked a man with a physical problem (see John 5:6), but of course we know that Jesus can do so much more than provide physical healing. He can work wonders on the inside of us that bring about healing and transformation of the soul.

But instead of genuine, Christ-generated transformation and wholeness, what we often find in the church today is people who are struggling to conform to a certain outward image or standard of behavior. Feeling pressure from all around (preachers, leaders, others in the church, and even themselves) to appear as if they have their lives together, they end up projecting an outward image of goodness, wellness and wholeness – while sadly knowing deep down that all they are doing is faking it. Their outward show doesn't truly reflect what's going on deep inside their soul. On the inside, they continually feel guilt and shame because they're not experiencing genuine healing and transformation, but rather are remaining the same or even getting worse. They aren't experiencing wholeness.

Why is this? Why is there a lack of real, genuine transformation in the body of Christ? Is it because there's not enough teaching and preaching about how to change and how to live godly lives? Is it because people aren't trying or don't want to change? Could I dare you to concede, along with me, that the reason is possibly because the majority of what is being taught in the church today is focused on outward change and on trying to live godly lives, with little or no attention paid to the only real thing that can bring about authentic transformation in a person's life – the actual, real living Spirit of God who is alive in us and always longs for us to allow Him to enter into our suffering, shame and pain with us so He can help us and heal us?

Christ Himself is the only one who can truly transform us. To get a glimpse into how He interacts with us and heals our hurts, look at how He designed us – the members of His body – to interact with each other:

“The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part... If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.” (From 1 Cor 12:25-26, The Message).

We've been designed as a body to be deeply involved with one another, just as Christ deeply involves Himself with us. True, vibrant life happens when we allow Jesus, who is always in us and with us, to suffer with us and rejoice with us. Just as we are able to enter into the hurt and suffering of one another, and to take part in the healing process of one another, so also is God all the more capable – and willing and eager – to enter into our hurt and suffering with us so He can heal and transform us as only He can.

People really do want to change. People really do desire genuine transformation to take place in them. People really do know that they're not living up to their full potential and they really do want to rise above the mediocre lives that they seem to be trapped in. People really do want to be made whole. But many have become complacent or despondent, or have given up because they've found the struggle to change to be too difficult and futile. This is where we can begin see the vital difference between “trying to change” and transformation that comes only by the life of Christ in us.

With a performance focus, even if we're able to positively change our behavior and put on a polished outward appearance, it doesn't necessarily mean that any transformation has actually taken place on the inside. People can put on a good show, and if they aren't allowed the freedom to experience the reality of true transformation and healing on the inside, they will continue to live fake, masked, untransformed lives. The church talks constantly about how Christ can transform us, but the continual focus on our performance actually blocks Christ out and makes it very difficult for any transformation process to actually take place.

What if people could truly believe that there really is hope for them to change! What if they were shown that there really is a transforming power alive and at work in them, and not just a set of rules or principles to keep on struggling to try to live by? Can you imagine them breaking out of the rut of complacency, despondency and hopelessness and truly beginning to look to and trust the healing, sanctifying, comforting, affirming, transforming life of Christ in them? What an amazing change in their experience it would be if they were able to get off of the tiresome and fruitless treadmill of self-powered attempts at change, and turn instead to trusting and depending upon God Himself, who works faithfully and without condemnation to transform their lives over time with great care and patience.

Will we open up our souls and allow Him to truly enter into our suffering (and shame and guilt and hurt and stress and sickness and wills and emotions) so that He Himself can truly heal and transform us from the inside out and not according to mere outward actions and appearances? Will we allow others the freedom to do the same? Christ is a living reality, and He wants His life in us to be real to us. He Himself has come to set us free and to make us whole.

Mick Mooney Interview Part 2

2011-12-24T11:09:00.002-06:00

Here's Part 2 of my recent interview with Mick Mooney.

New Mick Mooney Interview

2011-12-17T16:39:00.000-06:00

I recently had a two part chat with Searching for Grace comic creator, and author of the new book God's Grace Apart From Law, Mick Mooney. The first part of the interview is here. The second part will be posted in a few days. Check out Mick's great insights on all kinds of stuff.

God's Grace Apart From Law - Mick Mooney's new book

2011-12-13T20:52:00.000-06:00

Mick Mooney's new book God's Grace Apart From Law is now out (released yesterday), and it's an awesome book! It's available as a paperback and as an e-book (see reviews of the book and a link to Amazon here), and I highly recommend you get a copy for yourself and also copies to give away to others. Mick is offering some free bonus giveaways for those who buy the book before the 24th. You can get a free digital copy of his Searching for Grace comic book, as well as a free audio version of his book Look! The Finished Work of Christ, narrated by none other than... me! :D

"Your heart is your ally... not your enemy."

2011-11-30T10:39:00.000-06:00

‎"In Christ, your heart is your ALLY. Not your enemy." - Jim Robbins

Shocking! God's law was never meant for us!

2011-11-19T23:21:00.000-06:00

God's law is "good and just and holy" (Rom 7:12), but it was never meant to help man live right or to help man in any way. God gave the law as a specific ministry. It was the ministry of death and condemnation (2 Cor 3:7-9). Through the law came guilt (Rom 3:19) and bondage (Gal 4:24-25).

Through the law, sin was imputed sin to man (Rom 5:13), and through the law, sin abounded (Rom 5:20)

The law is against us and contrary to us (Col 2:14), and the law is enmity with us (Eph 2:15).

"But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died." (Rom 7:8-9)

All of this was the ministry of the law. All of this is the reason the law was given. God never intended the law to be something through which man could actually find life or righteousness. Actually, it was exactly the opposite of that!

Let me repeat - the law is not bad or evil. It is good and just and holy. However, all it can do is to produce is guilt, condemnation, bondage and death. That is the law's purpose. Always has been, always will be. God didn't give the law to help man in any way. That was never the purpose of the law.

Now that we are in Christ, we have no relationship with the law. The Gentiles (most of us) never even had a relationship with the law in the first place. Now that we are in Christ, by grace through faith (having never been under the law), we don't suddenly begin to apply the law to our lives, or to help us live. And as for Jews, they were told they had to die to the law in order to be "married" (joined) to Christ. They weren't told to die to it, and then to bring it back up for help with living. Life in Christ - whether for Jew or Gentile - is lived apart from law, but rather "by grace through faith." Our life in Christ is lived through the fact that we died and we no longer live, but Christ now lives in us (Gal 2:19-21).

The law is not evil. But it simply can never provide help for living, nor help with life or righteousness or godliness or any such thing.

Abraham and all those who were counted as righteous before the law lived by faith. God had given them no laws to live by, because laws were (and are) not necessary for people who lived by faith. When the law came, it never helped anybody live righteously. (It was never meant to do that). In fact, as the previous verses show, when the law entered things only got worse. When the law came, guilt and condemnation entered. Death and bondage entered. This is exactly what God had planned and purposed with the law.

But before the law came, people lived by faith. They lived lives of faith, apart from the law, and that is how we live now. The difference now - and it's a wonderful, awesome difference - is that not only are we free from the ministry of death and condemnation and guilt and bondage (the law), but we have the actual life of Jesus Christ living in us! We need no law to live by faith. In fact, Paul said "the law is not of faith" (Gal 3:12).

The law is not of faith. We live by faith, and those who live by faith have no need of law. Again, the law produces exactly the opposite of what faith produces.

Rest Easy

2011-11-11T14:21:00.000-06:00

Rest easy
Have no fear
I love you perfectly
Love drives out fear
I'll take your burden
You take My grace
Rest easy
In My embrace

Thank you, Veterans

2011-11-11T11:04:00.001-06:00

To say "thank you" is not nearly enough, but yet I can never repay the price that our veterans have paid in service to our country. So, as small a token as it is, thank you all for your service and sacrifice. God bless you.

"What if God isn't who you think He is?"

2011-11-10T21:21:00.000-06:00

New book coming out from the "Truefaced" and "Bo's Cafe" crew in a few days.

Rocks and Stones

2011-11-10T21:18:00.002-06:00

If God can make non-living, inanimate objects, such as rOcKs and StOnEs, "cry out," then what makes us think that He "needs" us to do anything for Him? But we've got it so much better than the rocks and stones and we've got it so much better than being forced into labor. We get the honor and privilege of walking in step with Him as He willingly and joyfully works His marvelous works and wonders through us!

Jim Robbins Interviews Andrew Farley ("God Without Religion")

2011-11-06T15:53:00.000-06:00

Jim Robbins recently shared a three part interview that he had with Andrew Farley in which they discussed the concepts in Andrew's latest book, God Without Religion.

All three parts of the interview can be found here. You can listen/download the mp3's directly from Jim's podcast page or via iTunes.

Be Strong in the Lord

2011-11-05T12:34:00.002-05:00

Spiritual battles are not yours to fight. The battle is the Lord's. The weight is His. You might feel it in your soul, but the battle itself is not yours to fight, and your soul does not always see or understand what the Lord is doing. The battle is not against people. The battle is not against people. The battle is not against people. The battle that the Lord is fighting is not a battle that he is fighting against people. The battle He is fighting is against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. This might be manifested through people (including you and me at times), but the people are not the enemy. The people are not the Lord's enemies. He is not fighting against people.

The Lord has been strong and mighty in battle ever since the beginning. People such as you and me - flesh and blood - are not good at fighting the Lord's battles. We cannot win. We cannot even fight. We "put on" the armor but the battle is the Lord's. Be encouraged. Take the weight off of yourself and let the Lord do what He is very very capable of doing. Boast in your weakness. Trust in His sufficiency. Don't fight people. Don't live in fear. Don't live in darkness. Rather, let the Lord fight the powers of the invisible world, which again, He is so very capable of. He is the light and you are in the light. Live as the light of the world, not as a worried, fearful, bound up victim. You are victorious because He is victorious, even when you can't see the battles that He is fighting and winning. He will never lose. He can't lose. He has already won.

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Why I don't like the word "tithe" in the church

2011-08-29T10:27:00.001-05:00

I've previously written a series of posts called "Freed from Tithing, Free to Give," and I also recorded it as an audio and video series, so what I'm sharing here is nothing new as far as my thoughts on tithing go, but I just thought I'd write this quick post about why I don't like using the word "tithe" in the church.

The convictions that I'm sharing here have been arrived at through my own sense of compassion for the church as I've studied tithing and giving and as I've seen how people have reacted and responded to various church teachings on all this.

I'll start out by saying that words do mean things. They are important. "Tithe" means one tenth, and so when someone says "tithe" in the church today, it connotes the meaning of giving ten percent of one's income to a church. I am dead set against that entire idea, and I'll explain why.

Back under the Old Covenant, and specifically at the time during the Old Covenant when the Levite system was set up, the Levites had no land to produce crops and no animals for food either. They were, in fact, forbidden to work the land and to raise cattle, etc. And so in that particular economy, God set it up so that the other eleven tribes would provide food for the Levites. That's the only reason "tithes" were given. Ten percent wasn't some "standard" that God had come up with for giving. It was essentially a calculated amount by which the eleven tribes would provide food for the twelfth tribe. The Levites also tithed a tenth of the tithes they received to the priests (a tenth of a tenth), and eventually a portion of the tithes (food) was also portioned out to provide for widows, orphans and strangers. It was a great setup for that particular system.

But here's the thing. The Israelites also had money and other possessions. They earned money, they spent money, they lent and borrowed money, they traded possessions, they redeemed people and possessions with money, and so on. But they were never commanded to tithe of their money! So if we look at how much the Jews really "tithed," including their money, they actually gave less than 10%. That's not to say that they never gave their money to help others. But they were never commanded to tithe of their money. Again, the tithes were food, set up to provide for the Levites, who were commanded to not work the fields for their own food. The point being, that God never set up "a tenth" as any kind of blanket standard for giving. Even Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek had nothing to do with money or income, but rather was a one-time tithe from the spoils of war. It had nothing to do with some "standard of giving" that God was supposedly setting up.

And so today it's not as if God is saying, "Hey Christians, look, see, I had the Israelites tithe ten percent, and so now you are under grace and so you should give much more!" Again, ten percent is not some magical number or some standard of giving that God set up. The church today is so very different from the Levitical system. SO very different! It's not a matter of eleven tribes providing for a twelfth tribe. We are now one body who supports and provides for one another (ideally). We don't have any certain amount of people setting aside food for another certain amount of people. It's a completely different way of life.

In the church today, we have individuals and families who make all kinds of different amounts of money and have all kinds of different amounts of expenses. There is no way to have a blanket "ten percent" as a standard for giving, even under grace. Take, for example, two families who earn $35,000 per year. One family had their house and vehicles given to them. They have two young kids who so far are relatively inexpensive to raise. They have no medical bills or other expenses that put them over the top. On the other hand, the other family has a mortgage payment and car payments. They have a teenager who is eating them out of house and home! They have two kids in college (not cheap!) and one who is getting married. They have medical bills piling up and house maintenance and repairs to keep up with.

You get the point, I hope. This example shows how extremely different our circumstances can be. It's a horrible, horrible thing (in my humble view) to tell everyone that since the Israelites gave 10%, then that's the very least we should do. It just doesn't work that way! It's true, I'm sure, that there are people who really could give more to provide for the needs of others. I would hope that they would step up and help others out in big ways!

But at the same time, I know people who are struggling to try to come up with ten percent of their income to give "to a church," and there are those who feel guilty because they simply cannot do it. And so my point here is that not only should they not be struggling to try to give what they cannot give, nor feel guilty for not being able to do it (and not told that 10% is the least that they should give), but in a caring church environment, with people who care for the needs of people, they should really be the recipients of the giving of other people.

My point here is that I really do not like the use of the word "tithe" because it means ten percent, and it's simply not a possibility for everyone to do that. Christian giving is simply giving cheerfully whatever a person is able to give, as they decide in their heart to give. There is no blanket amount or percentage that should be used, in my opinion, as I look across the vast array of people and families in the church today. No one should ever feel pressured by an amount or percentage, nor be pressured to give at all.

Again, I have a lot of compassion for people, as I've been in the church all my life and have seen so many people struggle with this "tithe" thing. It need not be, and so my ongoing goal is to help to free people from the "tithe."

God Is Not Mad At You!

2011-08-23T22:13:00.001-05:00

Ridiculous Grace

2011-08-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to link to this excellent, powerful post from Steve McVey.

Ridiculous Grace

"A Law To Themselves"

2011-07-13T10:46:00.000-05:00

Rom 2:14
"...for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves..."

In the above passage, and surrounding words, Paul had a purpose in mentioning both the Jewish law (law of Moses) and the "law to themselves" (for the Gentiles), but neither of these was his final point. He was using both of those things to show how the whole world is guilty before God. He brought up neither of these two "laws" for the purpose of saying that we are under them, but rather for the purpose of saying, "see, the entire world is guilty - not just the Jews, who have the law, and not just those Gentile 'sinners' - but all, everyone, nobody excluded.

I often feel is necessary to point out that Romans 2 should not be read by itself, but rather it should be read along with at least Romans 1 and 3, in order to understand the full gist of what Paul is saying. (I also think that Romans 4 and 5 is based upon the full gist of what Paul is saying in Romans 3, but that is for another day).

Check out Rom 1:16-17 AND Rom 3:21-22.

In 1:16-17, Paul writes:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'"

His point about "the gospel" is that in it, the righteousness of GOD is revealed. This is in contrast with the righteousness of man, which is filthy rags. And so, during the entire second half of Romans 1, as well as all of Romans 2 and much of Romans 3, Paul makes the case for the (un)righteousness of man.

In doing all of that, he leads up to Rom 3:21-22, where he finally gets back to his "righteousness of God" point:

"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe."

Keep on reading, and see that he now stays on this point, that it's all about God's righteousness that we've been given as a gift, and not about law or man's attempts at righteousness.

To summarize, the reason Paul even brings up the law at all is to show how it only makes everyone guilty, whether Jew or Gentile, whether the "law of Moses" or the "law unto themselves" (or "law of conscious"). Paul's points are these: 1) ALL (Jews and Gentiles) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 2) ALL can be given the righteousness of God (not just Jews) - "to all and on all who believe."

Freed from Tithing, Free to Give - Part 4 of 4

2011-06-03T08:54:00.001-05:00

This series is based on a ten-part blog series that I wrote a few years ago.

After having established in the first three parts that "tithing" is not for Christians (by looking at the various Old Testament and New Testament scriptures about tithing), we now move on to what "giving" looks like in the Christian's life. The good news is that there are so many ways to give of ourselves (not just financially and not just to a 'church'), and we are absolutely free to decide in our hearts what we want to give, how we want to give, to whom we want to give, etc.

I cannot possibly go through all the ways that "giving" can happen in the Body of Christ, but I hope to help open your mind and heart to get outside of the box of conventional giving (and tithing), and to explore the various ways in which you can willingly and cheerfully give to others.

Below is the video and the audio for Part 4.

Download/Play MP3 (15 Min, 10 MB)

(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Freed from Tithing, Free to Give - Part 3 of 4

2011-06-01T17:39:00.001-05:00

This series is based on a ten-part blog series that I wrote a few years ago.

Jesus mentioned the tithe and the writer of Hebrews mentioned the tithe. But were these mentions of the tithe meant as teachings for Christians to follow? Here in Part 3 we look at these New Testament mentions of tithing and we see how they were not teachings that instructed Christians to tithe, but rather they had other purposes for being mentioned. In short, Jesus' mentions of the tithe were part of an overall rebuke of the Pharisees for their self-righteousness and hypocrisy. The mention of Abraham's tithe in Hebrews 7 was to show that the Priesthood of Melchizedek / Jesus is superior to the Priesthood of the Levites.

Please listen all the way through to see what is really being said in these passages. And read the passages for yourself! Jesus' mentions of the tithe are in Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42 and Luke 18:12. Hebrews 7 is where you'll find the explanation of Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek. Please go back and read all of Hebrews, or at least start with chapter 5 to see why Melchizedek is so important in all this.

Below is the video and the audio for Part 3.

Download/Play MP3 (15 Min, 10 MB)

(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Freed from Tithing, Free to Give - Part 2 of 4

2011-06-01T11:37:00.001-05:00

This series is based on a ten-part blog series that I wrote a few years ago. In Part 2 I end up talking about Malachi, and in doing so I make the point that Malachi was simply referring back to the laws that had previously been given to the tribes of Israel. So I start off by going through those various tithing instructions and in doing so I make the point that it's absolute foolishness to try to apply these instructions and concepts to the New Covenant church.

Malachi says to bring the tithes into the storehouse. But what were the tithes? And what was the "storehouse"? Why do we try to make these things fit into the church today when they have nothing to do with the New Covenant?!

Below is the video and the audio for Part 2.

Download/Play MP3 (16 Min, 11 MB)

(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Freed from Tithing, Free to Give - Part 1 of 4

2011-05-30T17:30:00.004-05:00

About 2 1/2 years ago I wrote a ten-part series of blog posts about tithing, which I've now renamed "Freed from Tithing, Free to Give." I've now recorded a four-part video/audio series based upon the written series.

Below you'll find the video and the audio for Part 1. In Part 1, I talk about Abraham's tithe and Jacob's tithe, and I also talk about how, by necessity, scriptures have to be taken out of context in order to teach "tithing" in the church. I obviously hope that through this series, people will be "freed from tithing" and "free to give."

Please stay tuned for the whole series - there's lots more to cover!

Download/Play MP3 (14 Min, 10 MB)

(Click to Play, Right-Click to Download, or use Player below)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

"Produce Fruit and Stop Picking Fights!"

2011-05-13T12:42:00.000-05:00

I know many of us have been under some terrible religious and legalistic teachings in our pasts, as well as currently. How about we stop picking fights with those we disagree with, and instead go out there are cheerfully proclaim the good news! :)

Disagreement and Disunity

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Alan Knox, over at The Assembling of the Church, has written a couple of articles that I consider to be not only timely, regarding specific current circumstances within the 'grace community' (which I will not elaborate on here), but also timeless, in regards to the ongoing problem of disunity in the worldwide church due to disagreements over doctrine and theology.

The two articles are entitled Disagreement is not Disunity and When Disagreements Lead to Disunity. It will not take much of your time to read these two articles, and I think they provide much enlightenment for the church in the midst of disagreements.

It's a fact that people are going to disagree on doctrines and theology. Does this mean that there has to be disunity? While we can remain convinced in our own individual consciences of what we believe, can we not also live "in harmony with one another and in harmony with Jesus Christ"?

A couple of quotes from the articles:

Harmony (unity) with one another and with Jesus Christ does not come through agreement, but through reliance on God and the endurance and encouragement that he provides.

Paul does not say to accept someone if that person understands God in the same way that you do. Instead, Paul says that if God accepts someone, then we are to accept someone. (Romans 15:7)

Does Christ Enable Us to Keep the Law?

2011-04-15T14:00:00.000-05:00

A different way to listen to and share the Growing in Grace podcast! I'm experimenting with putting the podcast audio in this video form. All podcast episodes are of course still available for downloading at www.growingingrace.org and iTunes.

Law and Morality vs. Supernatural Living

2011-04-11T10:55:00.002-05:00

The New Testament reveals various reasons why the law was given, and it turns out as quite a surprise to many that not once does it say that it was given to help people live godly and moral lives. In fact, it says just the opposite. Paul says that the law came to condemn and to produce death. He called it “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” (2 Cor 3:7-9) and he said it was “against us” and “contrary to us” (or “hostile to us”) (Col 2:14).

Romans talks about how “the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death” (Rom 7:5) and how “sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire.” (Rom 7:8). The point in all of this is that the law was never put in place to help man to overcome sin or the flesh, but only served to do the opposite.

In Colossians 2, Paul addresses rules and laws in the life of the Christian, saying, “These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (see Col 2:20-23).

Fortunately Paul doesn’t leave us hanging with these statements. When he talks about how the law ended up working in us to “bear fruit to death” and to “produce all manner of evil desire,” he also gives the “solution” to all of this. In Rom 7:5, Paul says we became dead to the law... “that we should bear fruit to God.” He then says in verse 6 that we died to what we were held by (the law) so that we can “serve in the newness of the Spirit and not on the oldness of the letter.”

Therefore, “right living,” according to life in Christ, is never a matter of going back to law or rules or our own sense of morality. Laws and rules might sometimes cause temporary outward changes of behavior, but in the long run they cannot truly deal with the issues of the flesh. That’s why we had to die to the law in order to be joined together with the One and only source of real life and godliness. Right living, then, comes not from external rules and laws, but rather internally, from the very life of Christ who indwells us. Through Him, God gave us a new heart and a new spirit. He made us into a new creation. He caused us to become partakers of the divine nature (His very nature).

All of this is why Kap and I, on our Growing in Grace podcast, focus so intently on our new identity in Christ and on living from grace and not from laws and rules. Our aim is to steer people away from trying to live “morally” and by “laws and rules,” and to instead turn to the very Spirit of God who indwells us and with whom we’ve become one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). What many Christians are doing, when focusing on laws and rules, is nothing more than trying to overcome the flesh with flesh. They perhaps will zone in on a given area of “positively” programmed flesh in order to drown out some “negatively” programmed flesh, but all the while the bottom line is that they are relying upon the flesh and missing the life of Christ in them.

The solution, then, is growing in grace and in knowing our true spiritual identity, and living from our union with Christ. When Paul exhorts his readers to not let sin reign in their mortal bodies, that they should obey it in its lusts (Rom 6:12), he is right in the middle of his talk about us having died to the law and having been raised together with Christ. So when it all comes down to it our lives are lived by grace through faith, by the Spirit of God. The fruit of the law and rules is sin, death and condemnation. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal 5:22-23)

Note that living by the Spirit doesn’t involve “steps” to godliness or morality, or “steps” to overcoming sinful behavior. This isn't a “how to” or a set of “principles for godly living.” What this is about is the power of a resurrected life (we have been “raised together” and “made alive together with Christ”). This is about God, who is “at work in us” (Phil 2:13) and who is faithful to complete the work that He began (Phil 1:6). This is about God's grace at work in us.

Do we have the ability to make choices in all of this? Yes, of course we do! We're not mere puppets. But the choices we make are not based upon any rules or standards of right and wrong, and they're not based upon trying to live by God's laws. Standards of “right and wrong” can tell us, well, what is right and wrong, but they give us no power to live by what is right and to avoid wrong. So our choices are based upon “growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and they are based upon growing in love and in the knowledge of who He has created us to be.

This is a “working out” process (Phil 2:12). Now let’s just first say what that doesn’t mean. That doesn’t mean that we are the ones doing the work of producing godly fruit. Rather, the phrase “work out” in this verse means “to fashion” or “to give shape to.” God is at work in us to “work out” – to give shape to – what is already true about us and our identity in Him. His divine power has already given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). There is no law and no rule that can work that out in us, or give outward shape to it.

So how do we overcome the addictions and indulgences of the flesh? Again, it’s not a set of rules or principles and it’s really not a “how to.” It’s a Who. It’s a Person. It’s the work of God in us. It’s giving up the old life of trying to overcome flesh with self-effort (fleshly effort) and walking in the miraculous life of the living God who richly indwells us. Which will we choose? Fleshly right vs. wrong – or supernatural and miraculous co-resurrected life with Christ!