True Free Grace

144) It is ridiculous for man to question God

2010-07-25T08:55:00.001-04:00

Romans 9:19-21 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” (20) But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” (21) Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

The relationship between God and man is like that between clay and the potter. It is a vertical relationship. Human beings do not have the intelligence, understanding, purity, power, or anything else to question God about why he did anything in the creation of the universe and mankind.

Focus on Christ #144

143) God is sovereign

2010-07-22T09:34:00.002-04:00

Romans 9:18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

The actions of God cause those for whom he has mercy to respond as they do. They are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and seek God and his righteousness as a result of God’s initiative. Those to whom God chooses to show no mercy are left in their sinful nature. They are slaves to that nature and many are further hardened by his wrath to suit his purposes. Perhaps God removed a restraining grace from Pharaoh that resulted in his actions. Whatever the dynamics are that bring about God’s will of decree, it is not up to human beings to question or quarrel with God’s methods or actions as Paul goes on to explain.

Focus on Christ #143

142) God causes his purposes to be fulfilled

2010-07-06T09:13:00.001-04:00

Romans 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Paul quoted Exodus 9:16 to illustrate the absolute sovereignty of God in all things including salvation. It was God who caused Pharaoh to be in his position of leadership, and it was God who foreordained the conditions that Pharaoh faced. Amazingly God worked his plan without violating Pharaoh’s will, which Paul explained in chapter six was in bondage to sin. Pharaoh was a slave to his fallen sinful nature and apart from God’s restraining him from following that nature; Pharaoh was bound to react in a way that would bring about God’s plan. The purpose is stated clearly by Paul and it was for God’s glory. God’s plan of redeeming a people [the elect] for himself and his glory proceeded directly through the unredeemed Pharaoh. While the people God physically redeemed from Egypt were mostly unredeemed spiritually, they were a part of God’s overall plan of spiritual salvation for the Israel of God. The physical nation of Israel that was formed at Mt. Sinai was a type or foreshadowing of the true Israel of God.

Focus on Christ #142

141) Salvation does not depend on human will or works

2010-06-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

Romans 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

Earlier in this passage [v. 8] Paul ruled out physical lineage as the cause of salvation. Now in this verse he rules out human will and human works as reasons. The New Testament in many places reports that unless God sovereignly intervenes and changes a person’s heart he won’t and in fact can’t come to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Human exertion or works has also been shown to be an impossible way to achieve salvation [Rom. 3:20]. Paul is clear that it depends on God to show mercy and give a new heart to all that He brings into the new covenant community of believers. Sovereign election through predestination is the cause of salvation and it does not depend on being a Jew, a child of a believer, human will, or works! Praise God that he gives mercy instead of justice to all that come to Jesus in faith and no one who comes is turned away [John 6:37].

Focus on Christ #141

140) God’s mercy is by sovereign decree

2010-06-21T08:15:00.001-04:00

Romans 9:15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

God is sworn to carry out justice upon sinful mankind. In order that he may have mercy on some, he executed his justice on his own son as a substitute for them. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for the sins of those that God was pleased to give mercy by his sovereign grace. Therefore, justice is completely upheld and no one receives injustice. None receive a free pass, but some receive mercy through the ministry and atonement of Jesus Christ. Although many people resent salvation being determined by God and not human decision, God made it clear to Moses that his sovereign decree would determine who would receive mercy.

Focus on Christ #140

139) God is not obligated to dispense universal mercy

2010-06-16T10:12:00.002-04:00

Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!

Having just explained God’s sovereign election unto salvation, Paul answers the expected objection of whether it is fair for God to intervene and save some but no all of humanity. It is interesting to note that had the Holy Spirit through Paul not been teaching predestination and election there would have been no need for this verse at all. However, Paul is teaching eternal life is based on those whom God has predestined and effectually called unto salvation and God is not being unjust in doing so. Some men receive justice and some receive mercy, but none receive injustice.

Focus on Christ #139

138) God is sovereign in salvation

2010-06-09T13:28:00.001-04:00

Romans 9:9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” (10) And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, (11) though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— (12) she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” (13) As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

From this passage it is apparent that God foreordained and caused Sarah to have a child at age ninety. It is also true that God’s purpose in election was and is implemented by his sovereign decree. While the twins were still in the womb, God ordained that one of Abraham’s physical grandchildren would be saved and one would not. Thus, Paul drives home the point with Abraham’s children and grandchildren that the Abrahamic Covenant of Promise is a covenant made with the spiritual descendants of Abraham and not his physical descendants. Therefore, there were no heirs to the Abrahamic covenant of promise in the Old Testament era based on physical birth and there are no heirs to the New Covenant in the New Testament era based on physical birth.

Focus on Christ #138

137) Salvation is not based on ethnicity or one’s parents

2010-06-06T13:02:00.002-04:00

Romans 9:7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” (8) This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

It is not the physical children of Abraham who are the children of God, but the children of the promise. Jesus Christ was the unique offspring that fulfilled the promise of an everlasting covenant between God and his spiritual people, and it was through the physical line of Isaac that Jesus Christ was born. All who are in Christ through faith are the spiritual children of Abraham and are the children of the promise. They are the sons of God and the recipients of the covenant promise of Genesis 17:7-8. God has never made any spiritual covenant or promise with Abraham’s physical descendents, Israel or any other group based on their ethnicity or birthright. Paul makes that very clear in this passage.

Focus on Christ #137

136) Paul defines spiritual Israel

2010-05-30T22:36:00.000-04:00

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

Paul explains the covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis 17 did not fail. It did not fail because the offspring referred to in Genesis 17:7 were the spiritual offspring of Abraham and not his physical descendents. While some of his physical descendents were also spiritual descendents, most of them were not [Romans 9:27]. Therefore the covenant promise of Genesis 17:7 was made to the spiritual people of God and not to the physical descendents of Abraham. Beginning here and continuing through verse 13 Paul thoroughly explains the covenant of promise made with his elect [Spiritual Israel].

Focus on Christ #136

72) Jesus paid the bill for the free gift (REPRINT)

2010-05-16T08:44:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All men are sinners at birth through their connection and representation with Adam, and this earns physical and spiritual death as all men become actual sinners. Due to God’s perfect justice, the wages of sin must be paid. However, God offers eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord as a free gift. By being in Christ Jesus by faith, the wages of a person’s sin were placed on Jesus Christ. Jesus received God’s justice on the cross of Calvary, and He provides the righteousness needed to stand before God for all who are in Christ Jesus by this faith. Believers should look to Christ for both salvation and sanctification.

Focus on Christ #72

71) Believers have been set free from sin by grace (REPRINT)

2010-05-10T08:57:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Grace not only saves sinners from the penalty of sin, it saves them from the power of sin. Believers are given a new nature that leads to a new focus and sanctification through the fruit of the Spirit. Instead of being slaves to sin and death, believers are slaves of God, and the end result is eternal life. While believers still struggle with sin, they are no longer captive to its power thanks to God’s grace. The Law has no power to defeat the slavery of sin and that is why Paul makes it clear that sanctification comes from the fruit of the Holy Spirit through grace and not from the Law carved on tablets of stone.

Focus on Christ #71

135) Ashamed of the unregenerate life

2010-05-05T08:33:00.000-04:00

Romans 6:21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Those who have been set free from being slaves of sin are ashamed of the fruit that was produced during the time they were in bondage to sin and death. The distinction Paul is making is not between two different classes of Christians and physical death. No, the end result of being in bondage to sin and death is the eternal spiritual death of hell.

Focus on Christ #135

134) Free from righteousness

2010-05-02T22:39:00.000-04:00

Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

All people are slaves of sin before the power of God touches their hearts and gives them new birth through the gift of a new heart of flesh. This is the mercy and grace of God’s new covenant love. However, until this happens people are free in regard to righteousness. They have no inclination or reason to serve righteousness. They are basically conformed to the world by nature and even when they oppose the world it is from a motive of doing what is right in their own eyes rather than submitting to the righteousness of God. Those who are slaves to their fallen nature are free from the righteousness of God.

Focus on Christ #134

133) All believers are sanctified

2010-04-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Paul is emphatically stating that unregenerate sinners are not unwilling slaves to sin, but are more than willing to present their members to the slavery of lawlessness. As such the unregenerate are dead in sin and have no freedom or ability to refrain from presenting their members to impurity and sin. But now Paul is exhorting those who have been set free from sin by the power of God to present their members as slaves to righteousness. Having been set free from the slavery of sin, believers have the freedom and power to pursue righteousness, and Paul completely rejects any possibility of a Christian having two masters. While Christians still sin, they no longer willingly, regularly, and without remorse present themselves to lawlessness and impurity. There are no carnal or nominal Christians! A person is either a regenerated disciple of Christ being led by the Spirit of God or he is not a Christian at all. The fruits of sanctification flow from the internal Spirit caused desires of the new covenant and not from the external legalistic performance based old covenant.

Focus on Christ #133

132) Set free from sin

2010-04-22T09:07:00.002-04:00

Romans 6:17-18 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

A Christian is a disciple who obeys the teachings of Christ. This is caused by God’s grace and not by unaided human decision. The end result of God intervening with his grace is sinners are set free from sin. This doesn’t make believers sinless, but it does break the power of sin and enables and causes them to respond to a new master. This passage leaves no room for someone to be a carnal Christian and still be a slave to sin. If someone is a slave to sin, he is not a believer and is still the wretched man that Paul goes on to describe in chapter 7. It is God who saves sinners from their body of death and frees them from their slavery to sin.

Focus on Christ #132

131) We are all slaves

2010-04-19T22:00:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

The distinction Paul makes in this verse is between believers and non-believers. Paul makes the point that everyone is either a slave to sin or obedience that leads to righteousness. The obedience that leads to righteousness is a result of the new covenant promise of a new heart. Through regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the leading of the Holy Spirit, believers have a new nature that causes them to pursue righteousness through obedience to Christ. Please note the fruit of righteousness is a result of regeneration and not the cause of it.

Focus on Christ #131

130) Grace is not a license to sin

2010-04-15T14:34:00.002-04:00

Romans 6:15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Paul makes it crystal clear that being under grace instead of law DOES NOT mean believers are still slaves to sin and now have a license to sin. New Covenant grace provides believers with new desires and also the power to not sin. A person that professes Christ but is unrepentant and continues full steam ahead in all his sinful behavior has not been regenerated. He may claim to be a believer, but he is not under grace and is still under the wrath of God. Paul makes it clear that God’s grace does not make sin an acceptable option to willingly participate in without concern.

Focus on Christ #130

REPRINT....70) Grace defeats the law of sin and death

2010-04-14T21:40:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Grace came by Jesus Christ and it came with power. When Jesus came into the world full of grace and truth, more was provided than just satisfying the legal requirements for salvation. In addition to his atonement for sin, Jesus also provided believers with the indwelling Holy Spirit. Under the law sin had dominion and sinners were slaves to sin, but under grace the power of the Holy Spirit sets sinners free from the slavery of sin [Romans 8:2]. Not perfectly of course, but sin will no longer control the rudder and direction of all who are in Christ Jesus by faith. Grace earns the victory over the law through faith [1 John 5:4].

Focus on Christ #70

129) Present your members to God

2010-04-04T10:04:00.003-04:00

Romans 6:12-13 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (13) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

While the born again believer is no longer a wretched man captive to sin, he still retains an ability to sin. The pre-conversion old man is no longer in control of a believer’s heart and actions, but he still has influence. Just as lobbyists work to influence congress, the old man is always there urging believers to participate in sin. However, God has brought believers from death to life and Paul is making it clear that believers are to present themselves to God as instruments of righteousness rather than give in to sinful passions. Believers are not perfect and sometimes stumble, but they follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in a positive direction of discipleship and sanctification. Paul thoroughly explains this in Romans 8:2-14 where he makes distinctions between believers and unbelievers. Anyone who continually follows his sinful passions and walks according to the flesh has not been regenerated. He may claim to be a saved carnal Christian, but he is deluded and bound for hell unless he repents and turns to Christ. Those who proclaim and encourage such false doctrine are very much like the serpent that deceived Eve by saying, “Did God actually say?” Christ did not die on the cross of Calvary so redeemed believers could live unchanged sinful lives and through the indwelling Holy Spirit that does not happen.

Focus on Christ #129

128) Christians are alive to God in Christ Jesus

2010-04-02T09:10:00.000-04:00

Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Paul reminds Christians they must consider themselves dead to sin. This means they are not captive to sin as they were before God regenerated and gave them a heart of flesh to replace their heart of stone. In Romans 7, Paul relates how he was a slave to sin before his conversion when he was attempting to achieve his righteousness through law keeping. While the Romans 7 wretched man is a slave to sin and does not have the ability to do what is right, the redeemed regenerated Christian has the ability because he is alive to God. He is in Christ Jesus and has been delivered from his body of death. Although Christians still battle sin, they are not wretched men who are enslaved by sin with no ability to do right. Praise God that the law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death [Rom. 8:2].

Focus on Christ #128

127) Death has no dominion

2010-03-27T11:17:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:9-10 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. (10) For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Jesus Christ destroyed the dominion of death through his resurrection and he will never die again. Sin and death had dominion over the human race under the curse of the law. Christ perfectly fulfilled the law and yet suffered the penalty that the law imposed for not fulfilling it. Therefore, all that are baptized into the death Christ Jesus through faith have had their sin debt paid in full by Christ, and are counted as righteous because of Christ’s perfect obedience to the law. Thus, the dominion of death was destroyed by Christ. This is the amazing grace that leads Paul to conclude that believers are not under law but under grace. Through this grace the wretched man that is captive to the law of sin and death [Romans 7:23] is set free from the captivity and slavery of sin through regeneration and the New Covenant promise of a new heart.

Focus on Christ #127

126) Death with Christ

2010-03-22T22:32:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Those that God redeems and regenerates by crucifying the old self will also live in a manner consistent with his new self. Believers will follow the lead of the indwelling Spirit and walk in a new direction. The old self [wretched man] was powerless to keep from sinning. The new man still sins, but lives a life that has been empowered to follow Christ and be conformed to his image [Romans 8:29]. The power of sin has been broken in all who are in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit the power has been given to not sin and live with Christ.

Focus on Christ #126

125) God sets the prisoners free

2010-03-18T09:24:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

When believers are baptized into Christ by the power of God, they have been set free from the penalty and power of sin. This is NOT speaking of death or the physical act of water baptism, but is speaking of the supernatural act of the new covenant promise of a regenerated heart. It is nothing less than a spiritual heart transplant. The new God given spiritual heart is free from the power of sin. The new creation in Christ is no longer captive to the law of sin and death. While he still sins, he is no longer the wretched man that is powerless to do what is right. The victory that overcomes the world has been achieved through faith in the Son of God [1 John 5:4].

Focus on Christ #125

124) United with Christ

2010-03-15T09:36:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:5-6 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (6) We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Sin was dealt with on the cross as believers who were children of Adam and in bondage to sin are raised in union with Christ. Christ dealt with the penalty of sin on the cross. When believers are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ, Christ also deals with the power of sin as the old self is crucified with Christ. The body of sin that was previously enslaved and ruled by sin is brought to nothing by the power of God. Those who are in Christ through faith are no longer enslaved to sin, but have become slaves to righteousness. Paul described his personal enslavement to sin before conversion in Rom. 7:13-25. In Romans 8:2 he described how the Spirit set him free from the law of sin and death. This freedom occurred at the moment he was baptized into Christ’s death and resurrected into newness of life.

Focus on Christ #124

123) Newness of life

2010-03-12T08:39:00.001-05:00

Romans 6:3-4 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Those who are in Christ have been baptized through saving faith into his death. This is not merely a baptism done by men with water, but is a baptism of regeneration performed by God that is immediately followed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers. Just as Christ died for sin, believers die to sin when the Holy Spirit makes a new creation out of hearts of stone that were once captive and slaves to sin. Through the power of God in this work of the Holy Spirit, believers are enabled to walk in newness of life. God gives a new nature to believers that cause this transformation as the old has passed away and the new has come. Amazingly some things they once liked suddenly become unappealing, and things that once were unappealing become things desired. While the old man strives to regain control, those who are in Christ have been set free from the power of sin.

Focus on Christ #123

122) Dead to sin

2010-03-10T07:07:00.002-05:00

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

After thoroughly explaining justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone in the previous chapters, Paul asks the obvious question about sin. Paul answers his own rhetorical objection by stating that believers have died to sin and can no longer live in it. Why? What has changed and what does it mean to die to sin? This change comes through the power of God in regeneration and the gift of the indwelling Spirit. Believers are new creations in Christ with new desires. The power of sin has been broken in believers by the power of irresistible grace and the wretched man [Romans 7:24] has been delivered from his body of death. Sin is not completely eradicated, but believers are no longer captives to sin.

Focus on Christ #122

121) The fruitless branches are burned

2010-03-08T08:29:00.000-05:00

John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

If anyone does not abide in Jesus, he is not in Christ and is not saved. Such a person bears no fruit and is taken away just like a branch that does not bear fruit. Many claim to be fruit bearing branches, but Jesus said you will recognize them by their fruits. Many falsely claim Christ, but only those who are truly in Christ will bear fruit. On that day, Jesus will tell those who falsely claim to be disciples “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Focus on Christ #121

120) All Christian fruit comes from Jesus Christ

2010-03-05T23:00:00.001-05:00

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

It is impossible to produce any fruit apart from Christ. Grace flows directly from Christ to believers as surely as nourishment from the vine flows directly to the fruit of the vine. Jesus reminds all disciples of all ages in this verse that there is no “I” in the fruit produced by disciples. Grace is the source of all fruit produced by believers. This union with Christ inspires and causes all the fruit produced by his disciples. Believers are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for them to do [Eph. 2:10]. Believers are created in Christ Jesus! If God creates believers, then how can any fruit production be credited to the free will of man in the slightest way? If human decision apart from Christ is needed in producing fruit then there is reason for boasting in this fruit. Not only is there boasting, but the success of the kingdom of God on earth would be dependent on human decision.

Focus on Christ #120

119) If anyone is in Christ he abides in Christ

2010-03-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Without abiding in Christ, there is no fruit. Jesus told this truth to his disciples and it is still valid today. If a person is in Christ, he abides in Christ and if he abides in Christ he bears fruit. Conversely, if there is no fruit in a person’s life that person does not abide in Christ. Such a person is not in Christ and has not been saved. It is folly to think that a person can be in Christ through the power of regeneration and the indwelling Holy Spirit and not abide in Christ. There will be times of apathy and neglect with very little fruit in the lives of believers, but never a time of total failure to abide in Christ. This verse is an exhortation by Jesus for his disciples to continually abide in him, and is not meant to infer that a true disciple may never abide in him.

Focus on Christ #119

118) All true believers bear fruit

2010-02-25T23:08:00.001-05:00

John 15:3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Because of the word that Jesus spoke to his true disciples, they were clean [pruned]. His word was truth and his true disciples believed his teaching. This knowledge and acceptance of his doctrinal truth meant they were in Christ, clean [pruned], and already bearing fruit due to his grace. The branches that do not bear fruit have obviously been given time to bear fruit, but they didn’t and are removed rather than pruned. These branches are false professors of faith, because the very act of faith is a guarantee of fruit [John 7:38]. Therefore, if they were believers they would have borne fruit and been pruned rather than taken away.

Focus on Christ # 118

117) Two kinds of branches

2010-02-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

John 15:2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Many that claim Christ are not truly in Christ. They may appear to be fruit bearing branches of the vine because of their rhetoric and profession, but they are hypocrites and are still dead in their sin. This verse makes a distinction between the fruit of true believers vs. false professors of Christ. The false professors are unregenerate and incapable of bearing fruit, whereas, true believers bear fruit. God removes the false believers who bear no fruit, and the believers who bear fruit are pruned in order for them to bear even more fruit.

Focus on Christ #117

116) The true vine

2010-02-18T07:57:00.003-05:00

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.”

In this parable Jesus compared himself to a vine and talked about the fruit and branches of that vine. Jesus stated that he is the true vine and that his Father is the vinedresser. The branches of the vine are human beings and the fruit is the good works that are acceptable in the eyes of God. Since only believers can produce good fruit in the eyes of God, the pruning refers to the work of God in believers. Jesus is the true vine; so all other vines are false vines and cannot bear acceptable fruit in the eyes of God. Just as there are not many ways to “get in touch with the divine” as our modern pluralistic world claims, there are not many vines that bear this fruit.

Focus on Christ #116

115) Peter’s Reminder

2010-02-11T10:17:00.000-05:00

2 Peter 1:12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have.

In verse 12 Peter clearly states his reason for mentioning these qualities. It is to remind believers of qualities they already know and have. They are established in the truth and are not like the unbelievers he mentioned in verse nine that profess Christ but are blind and lack these qualities. Peter is reminding them of qualities that true Christians have been given by the power of the new covenant promises through grace. They have been given a new heart and are led by the indwelling Spirit. In this passage [v. 3 thru 15] Peter is not advocating a works salvation through learning and practicing these qualities. He is reminding them of qualities true believers already have and is exhorting them to be diligent in practicing these qualities. The most effective Christians could be more diligent, but the least effective Christians do not lack these qualities altogether.

Focus on Christ #115

114) For in this way

2010-02-07T08:25:00.000-05:00

2 Peter 1:11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“For in this way” is referring to those who practice these qualities. It is those who have these qualities that will enter into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Does this mean eternal life is based on works and depends on whether or not a person practices these qualities? Absolutely not! Peter is just giving the characteristics of Christians. These qualities are present in all that are led by the Spirit of God and all true believers are led by the Spirit [Rom. 8:14]. Christians are not perfect, but they are new creations in Christ that God has made alive even while they were dead in their trespasses and sin. This truth points to the much more excellent new covenant that is enacted on better promises than the old covenant. “I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts,” is the way Jeremiah puts it and the author of Hebrews explains in chapter 8. The new covenant gives the power that was lacking in the old covenant. Practicing the qualities Peter cites is not the cause of redemption, it is the result of redemption through the power of God. Praise God that Christianity is an internalized religion of the heart that is powered by God.

Focus on Christ #114

113) An exhortation to be diligent

2010-02-04T22:27:00.000-05:00

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Calling and election are accomplished by God apart from anything a man has done, is doing, or will do. Therefore, there is nothing people can do to affect their calling and election. So, what does Peter mean? In verse 12 [two verses later] Peter stated he wanted to remind his brothers of these qualities even though they were established in the truth. Thus verse 10 is teaching and reminding Christians to continue in practicing these qualities. He is exhorting them to continue doing what their God given new nature has brought about in their lives. Except for knowledge, all of the qualities Peter mentioned in this passage spring forth from regenerated Christian hearts. Peter is giving that knowledge and reminding Christians to be diligent in their love, self control, steadfastness, virtue, etc.

Focus on Christ #113

112) True believers are not blind

2010-02-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

2 Peter 1:9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

In this verse Peter is referring to someone who has professed faith in Christ for a while but is blind and lacks these qualities. Since throughout the NT being unsaved is characterized by being blind, it is unlikely that a born again Christian would be described by Peter as blind and lacking all of these qualities. No, Peter is describing someone who is unsaved and has not been given the gifts of the new covenant listed in Hebrews 8. All who are redeemed by the power of God are given a new nature that includes these qualities although these qualities may be in a stage of immaturity. Even though Christians may backslide from these qualities at times, they still have the qualities and will pick themselves up and press on in their Christian walk through the power of the indwelling Spirit.

Christians never forget they were forgiven and cleansed from their sin. Therefore, anyone who has forgotten the principle of forgiveness from sin was never a true believer. Christians are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, and are described by Jesus Christ as sheep that know Him, hear Him, and follow Him. The solution for those who are blind and lack these qualities is to turn to Jesus Christ in prayer and repentance for mercy, and place their faith and trust in Him alone for their salvation. When they do this they will find these qualities bubbling up from their new regenerated heart of flesh. They will not ever approach sinless perfection in this earthly life, but they will grow in grace as they follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.

Focus on Christ #112

The fulfillment of the New Covenant

2010-01-31T13:30:00.002-05:00

The following comment was made by my friend in Christ Mark [AKA Bluecollar] on the previous post. I think it captures the essence of sanctification by grace rather than a legalistic works sanctification that seems to be so pervasive in the American church today:

The fulfillment of the New Covenant is God the Holy Spirit living inside and moving us to walk in God's ways. Where man failed under the Old Covenant God takes up with the "I wills" of the New Covenant. Christians, both Jews and Gentiles, benefit from God's "I wills". Man failed under the Old, God triumphs in the New. I believe that the Church is now at the very appex of redemptive history this side of the eternal state.

The New Covenant is being experienced in an inaugural sense right now as men and women are now temples of God, indwelt by His Spirit, and walking (albeit faultingly) in His ways. He is now working in them both to will and to do for His good pleasure. His Spirit, working in concert with His word, is bearing fruit in lives. New desires arise from that heart of flesh spoken of in the New Cov. Christ-likeness is now the aim of the Christian life, thanks to the indwelling Holy Spirit.

That contrite heart God desires is now a reality. We are now to show forth the praises of Him Who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. We are now His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. The drive to be more like Christ is the product of the Spirit's indwelling.

Living lives to the glory of Christ is what brings on the rewards. In short, we are saved to serve, the Father having crucified us with His Son, that our bodies of sin might be destroyed. We are no longer slaves of sin, but slaves to God, and led by His Spirit. Having been conveyed by the Father into His Son's kingdom, the Son now reigns over us His subjects by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We all will go on to rewards, some having yielded 100 fold, some 60, some 30 - yet ALL will be rewarded. It will be grace upon grace - God having been the One to have enabled, to have led and to have energized the saint all along; and that saint getting the rewards for what God had done through him or her.

111) Christians have these God given qualities

2010-01-29T10:13:00.001-05:00

2 Peter 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Having been given hearts of flesh to replace hearts of stone, Christians are new creations in Christ. The old has gone and the new has come through their new birth and they have been given new internalized attributes by the power of the Holy Spirit. These qualities are gifts from God. As Christians grow in grace these qualities increase and keep believers from being ineffective and unfruitful. All Christians are different and have different gifts, but they all respond in varying degrees to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. While all Christians sometimes stumble and sin in their discipleship, they have the qualities that Peter lists in verses 5 through 7. When Christians are involved in sin they are anxious and remorseful until they repent. David points to this very condition in Psalm 32.

Focus on Christ #111

Christ-likeness

2010-01-25T22:07:00.002-05:00

The following was a comment made by Mark [AKA Bluecollar] on the previous post that clearly explains the attitude and motivation of Christians:

Christ-likeness... Something that will never be attained this side of the grave, but is sought after by ALL regenerate folk due to their new nature. When we see Him we shall be like Him, yes; however this side of the grave our flesh gets in the way, yet it is still a prize to stretch yourself for, like a sprinter stretching for the finish line. Like what marks the grave of a certain mountain climber, "He died climbing". That will be said of ALL regenerate persons because their new nature longs for Christ-likeness... They all die while climbing towards Christ-likeness.

110) Make every effort

2010-01-24T13:23:00.001-05:00

2 Peter 1:5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, (6) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, (7) and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

These verses are an exhortation by Peter for believers to cooperate in their own sanctification. Grace through the indwelling Holy Spirit is the engine that drives sanctification, but believers are not mindless robots that are powerless to act on their own. They are new creations in Christ that are led by the Holy Spirit, but they are in control of their actions and behavior. Therefore, Peter tells believers to, “make every effort” and lists the desired attributes they should cultivate. Notice the list of attributes is not a legalistic do and don’t list, but are qualities that flow from the heart and are a reflection of internal ethical and spiritual character. They are an expression of the new covenant internal religion of the heart rather than the external religion of the Old Covenant. Peter points to the importance of knowledge. This Biblical knowledge enables believers to understand and follow the righteous leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Focus on Christ #110

109) New Covenant promises

2010-01-22T10:36:00.001-05:00

2 Peter 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

God has granted his precious and great promises through knowledge of Him. This knowledge leads to being partakers of the divine nature. Through being made new creatures in Christ by regeneration [knowledge], believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit [knowledge]. They are led by the Holy Spirit [knowledge] and this enables them to have the ability to escape from the corruption that is in the world [knowledge]. By being in Christ by faith New Covenant promises make it possible for believers to overcome sinful desires through the divine nature that is a part of their new nature. This is the grace that transforms sinners into believers and Disciples of Christ.

Focus on Christ #109

108) Sanctification through knowledge

2010-01-18T22:34:00.000-05:00

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

The power of God is the source of all blessings. Believers are given all things that pertain to life and godliness from this divine source. How? ……Through knowledge of Him. Although believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and know God through a personal relationship, they should diligently seek knowledge by reading and studying the word of God. Jesus prayed that his sheep be sanctified by the truth and that God’s word is that truth. Christians are called to the glory of God and His excellence through knowledge. While all of Scripture is useful for knowledge in sanctification, the New Testament is particularly good for Christian sanctification through the Law of Christ, many exhortations on Godly living, and a greater revelation of grace through the much better new covenant of which Jesus Christ is the mediator. The law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Focus on Christ #108

107) Knowledge multiplies grace and peace

2010-01-16T13:57:00.001-05:00

2 Peter 1:2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

It has become very popular in America to discount, distort, minimize, and even ignore the facts about God and Jesus as revealed in Holy Scriptures. The bible reveals facts about our triune God that leads to understanding and truth. This truth is processed into knowledge of God and Jesus Christ that leads to grace and peace. It is a grace and peace that is not merely added, but multiplied. Obviously this grace and peace comes through knowledge of Scriptural truth and not the popular politically correct myths of the culture. Yet, we live in a time when even the clergy and leadership of entire denominations deny biblical truths including Jesus himself. When they affirm salvation apart from Christ through false religions, they deny Jesus Christ [John 14:6]. People can either be in saving relationship with Christ or they can be loved by the world, but they can’t be both. Look to the new covenant blessings in Christ and not to the world for grace and peace.

Focus on Christ #107

106) Faith is a gift of God

2010-01-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Spiritual salvation is eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. The very faith to believe is a gift from God, and not of a person’s own doing. This faith comes after a person is made alive by the power of God as verse 5 states. Human works do not have any merit in the gift of eternal life, and no one can boast or claim any credit for receiving this gift because of their actions. Praise God that His grace replaces hearts of stone in spiritually dead men and gives them hearts of flesh. This is the new covenant in the blood of Christ and while salvation is offered to all, being in Christ by faith is the only one way to be in this covenant.

Focus on Christ #106

105) The richness of grace

2010-01-07T10:19:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 2:6-7 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (7) so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

At the moment of faith regenerated believers are seated with Christ in heaven. This mercy and kindness will demonstrate in the coming ages the immeasurable riches of his grace toward those who are in Christ Jesus by faith. These early verses of Ephesians 2 point to the amazing power of God in salvation and to the total and complete assurance that those who have been touched by this power. While believers are not perfect or without sin, grace and the hand of God in both justification and sanctification have touched their very soul.

Focus on Christ #105

104) But God

2010-01-03T12:31:00.002-05:00

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, (5) even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

But God does take action with spiritually dead people and intervenes with grace through the work of the Holy Spirit. Because of his great love and mercy he quickens the hearts of sinners and transforms them from a state of spiritual death to spiritual life. Praise God that, through the new covenant mediated by Jesus Christ, grace upon grace is given to all that are in Christ Jesus through faith. Jesus Christ is the only way for human beings to receive the free gift of eternal life.

Focus on Christ #104

103) Stone cold dead

2009-12-31T22:25:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins (2) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—(3) among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Are human beings born basically good? Paul answers that question in this passage and the answer is an emphatic no. Human beings are born dead in trespasses and sin with a heart that follows the course of this world. The passions of the flesh and desires of the mind and body control the actions of all mankind. This is not a condition that man can correct with his own will because his nature is enslaved by sin and death. Man is born spiritually dead and apart from action by God, man will remain spiritually dead as surely as people that are physically dead will remain physically dead.

Focus on Christ #103

102) A personal counselor

2009-12-29T21:23:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

At the moment of faith, believers are sealed with the promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is a guarantee of the inheritance as adopted sons of the living God. The indwelling of God the Holy Spirit produces a changed human being that is a new creation in Christ. Believers are enabled to follow the lead of the Spirit due to the fulfillment of the new covenant promise of a new heart. This is new covenant grace and is the reason that the new covenant is much superior to the old covenant that it replaced.

Focus on Christ #102

101) Divine intervention in salvation

2009-12-27T17:47:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 1:11-12 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

Those who are in Christ have an inheritance because God predestined them to believe and place their hope in Christ. This is due to the will of God and is to the praise of his glory. Apart from God’s intervention, no one would come to Christ in faith. That is why Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” [John 6:65] Paul states that believers who were alive at the time of his writing this epistle were the first to hope in Christ for their spiritual salvation. This points to the very beginning of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Focus on Christ #101

100) In Christ we have redemption through his blood

2009-12-23T09:14:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 1:7-10 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight (9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ (10) as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Through the blood of Christ forgiveness of sins and redemption is given to those who are in Christ by faith. At the Lord’s Supper Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” Jesus Christ is the new covenant and the fulfillment of all that was lost in Adam. It is Christ that crushed the head of the serpent. This is the riches of God’s grace that was foretold in the Garden of Eden [Gen. 3:15] long before Abraham or the nation of Israel. The story of spiritual redemption is about Jesus Christ and grace. It is about the fulfillment of the new covenant promise of giving a new heart to sinners on a one on one basis. It is not about spiritually redeeming chosen nations or even physical covenant families. Spiritual salvation depends on God’s will and purpose, which he lavished on those He redeemed in all wisdom and insight. It was His plan set forth in Christ and is being perfectly executed to unite all things in him. While man is allowed to sin against God’s will, man cannot thwart God’s sovereign purpose for spiritual salvation as outlined by Paul here in Ephesians 1. Those in Christ are eternally secure.

Focus on Christ #100

99) Praise his glorious grace

2009-12-20T16:01:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 1:4B-6 In love (5) he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

God predestined his adopted sons in love because of his sovereign will. This is accomplished through the ministry of Jesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace. Those who are blessed with this grace are blessed beyond measure. They are in Christ through faith because of God’s sovereign will and not by human effort or desire. Spiritual salvation is not about a chosen race or being included in a covenant because one’s parents are believers. Salvation is about the glory and grace of Jesus Christ and His New Covenant redemption of his adopted brothers.

Focus on Christ #99

98) Chosen by God to be in Christ

2009-12-19T09:25:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 1:3-4A Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Believers are blessed with spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Before the foundation of the world God chose a people to be holy and blameless before him through being in Christ by faith. Even the best of Saints are not holy or blameless apart from being found in Christ. Salvation is all about Christ successfully regaining for his bride [the elect] what Adam lost in the Garden of Eden. This was all accomplished before the earth was even formed. God from eternity past had one and only one plan of salvation for one and only one people of God. Salvation has been fulfilled in the New Covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Focus on Christ #98

97) Grace defined

2009-12-17T09:33:00.002-05:00

Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Paul, in this short verse, closes the door on the false teaching that a people can be saved and yet not experience Spirit led change in their lives. If the Spirit is leading a person, this means he is following that lead. If a person is not following the Spirit, then he is not being led. Such a person is not saved even if he claims to have faith [James 2:14-25] or he is pursuing righteousness through the self-effort of legalistic law keeping [Romans 7:13-25]. Saved people are new creations in Christ through the new covenant gift of a new heart. This new heart empowers and motivates a person to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and this happens to varying degrees in regenerated believers. Adopted sons of God are followers of Christ because they are led by the Spirit, and this verse does not offer any other possibility. This is grace.

Focus on Christ #97

96) There is a distinction between the flesh and the Spirit

2009-12-15T10:47:00.000-05:00

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Paul makes it clear that those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the flesh, and to set the mind on the flesh is death. In addition, they are hostile to God, do not submit to God’s law, and indeed cannot please God. Here, in verse 13, this principle is repeated yet again. Paul has made it very clear that if you live according to the flesh you are not in Christ and you are under the condemnation of God. There is no wiggle room to claim Christ but live according to the flesh. However, if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. A redeemed person is enabled and encouraged by the Holy Spirit to respond to this divine grace and willingly participates in his own sanctification. This does not mean anything close to perfection, but it does mean a direction toward being conformed to Christ.

Focus on Christ #96

95) Those in Christ reject the ways of the world

2009-12-13T08:25:00.001-05:00

Romans 8:12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Those that believe you should go for the gusto because you only go around once are debtors to the flesh. Unbelievers, by nature, present themselves as slaves to sin and live according to this nature. They are in the flesh, and their desires are on the things of the flesh. Paul, in this verse, is stating that believers who are in Christ are different. Believers are new creations in Christ and no longer slaves to the worldly desires of the flesh. They reject the fleshly ways of the world, and the world hates them for it.

Focus on Christ #95

94) The Spirit is Life Eternal

2009-12-11T08:27:00.001-05:00

Romans 8:10-11 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (11) If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

All human beings are dead men walking due to sin. Although physically alive, all human beings are born spiritually dead because of sin and will also die a physical death because of sin. However, IF the Spirit of God dwells in a person, that person has been given spiritual life. He is a new creation in Christ and although his physical body will suffer death, he has been raised to new life now and will be raised to life at the last day just as Jesus was raised to life. The New Covenant through the blood of Christ gives believers grace, the indwelling Spirit, and life.

Focus on Christ #94

93) All believers have the Spirit

2009-12-08T15:37:00.001-05:00

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

In this verse the distinction is between the flesh and the Spirit. Those in the Spirit have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and are redeemed saved children of God. Those in the flesh are not redeemed, not saved, and not children of God. Those in the flesh were just described in verses 7 and 8. In these verses Paul gives the characteristics of believers in contrast with the characteristics of non-believers.

Focus on Christ #93

92) Hostility toward God

2009-12-06T22:32:00.000-05:00

Romans 8:7-8 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. (8) Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The unbeliever’s mind is set on the flesh and is hostile to God and the things of the Spirit. The unregenerate mind does not submit to God’s law and does not have the ability to do so. Flesh, sin, and the Law produce only physical and spiritual death. In Romans 7:13-25 Paul explained how the Old Covenant Law is a ministry of death. It was never intended to be a means of pleasing God and Paul once again drives that point home in this passage.

Focus on Christ #92

91) Christians are under the Law of Christ, not the Law of Moses

2009-12-04T11:16:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 9:20-21 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. (21) To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.

Paul states clearly that he is not under old covenant Law but is under the law of Christ. He does not distinguish between three different categories of the law, and he does not do that anywhere in his epistles. In fact, the Bible as a whole makes no such distinctions. Jesus said, “if you love me, you will obey my commands.” That means the law of Christ, and it is found in the New Testament.

Focus on Christ #91

90) Abraham’s true heirs

2009-12-01T10:43:00.000-05:00

Galatians 3:27-29 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

There is only one category of spiritual people. It does not matter whether one is Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free. Being Jewish or the children of believers has nothing to do with spiritual redemption. The only thing that matters is being in Christ Jesus by faith. If a person is in Christ by faith, then he is Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to the promise. It does not depend on human will, exertion, or baptizing infants. It depends only on God’s grace and mercy and Paul makes this very clear in Romans 9. Unless a person is in Christ Jesus through faith he is not in any kind of spiritual covenant relationship with God.

Focus on Christ #90

89) The Mosaic Law had an expiration date

2009-11-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

Galatians 3:24-26 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. (25) But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, (26) for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

The law was a guardian. In verse 24 Paul gives the expiration date for this guardian and that is when Christ came. With the incarnation of Christ, the guardian was replaced with faith. Since the guardian and the law are the same thing, this means the law was replaced by faith in Christ. The Ten Commandments as a unit is a part of the law and was the covenant contract for the Mosaic covenant. Christ Jesus perfectly met the conditional legal requirements of this covenant contract for all that are in Christ through faith. Therefore, the entire law has become obsolete by faith in Christ and not just arbitrary unbiblical categories of the law. However, the precepts of nine of the Ten Commandments are still valid, since they have been repeated, and Jesus has strengthened two of them in the New Testament. Believers are free from the Ten Commandments as a covenant contract, but are not free from the precepts as restated in the New Testament.

Focus on Christ #89

88) Jesus sets prisoners free from the captivity of the law

2009-11-24T22:26:00.001-05:00

Galatians 3:23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.

Israel was held captive under the law until the coming of faith. Therefore, once faith was revealed in Jesus Christ and the new covenant, Jews were no longer under the law. They were once imprisoned and held captive by the law, but they were set free when faith was revealed. Paul states the same thing in Romans 7:6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Being released from the law precludes running back to law with a new motive of sanctification. It makes no sense to be set free from captivity only to return to the source of the captivity and submit once again to the yoke of slavery.

Focus on Christ #88

87) Don’t be foolish

2009-11-20T22:23:00.001-05:00

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

If the wretched man passage of Romans 7:7-25 is a description of Paul after his conversion, then he would be attempting to do the very thing he calls foolish in this passage. He would be trying to be perfected by the flesh through obeying the law. But here in Galatians 3:3 he makes it clear that believers begin by the Spirit and are sanctified by the leading of the Spirit. Believers do not begin by the Spirit and run to the law for sanctification. That is why Paul states in 2 Cor. 3:7-8 that the ministry of death carved on stone has been replaced by the ministry of the Spirit.

Focus on Christ #87

86) Answer is in Christ and not I myself

2009-11-18T08:25:00.002-05:00

Romans 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Paul gives the answer to his question of verse 24 and it is that God through Jesus Christ saves sinners from their body of death. This is grace and the true way to salvation rather than attempting to achieve salvation through the law. Paul states that he himself [before grace] served the law with his mind but with his flesh he served the law of sin. He was captive to sin and unable to obey the law of God. To believe that post-conversion Paul has been talking about his struggle with indwelling sin in verses 7-25 you have got to believe he has contradicted what he said in verse 6 when he said, “we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” How could he state that we serve in the new way of the spirit and not in the old way of the written code in verse 6 and then state he [after his conversion] still served the law of God with his mind in verse 25? He couldn’t, wouldn’t, and didn’t because verse 25 is referring to pre-conversion Paul. Post-conversion Paul clearly ruled out serving God through the law in verse 6 and his entire Epistle to the Galatians. In the next verse, Rom. 8:1, Paul begins to lay out the results of being in Jesus Christ through faith and goes on to describe the new way of serving in the Spirit.

Focus on Christ #86

85) Jesus saves wretched men

2009-11-16T21:43:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Paul has been describing his pre-conversion state of being under law since verse 7 and he now asks the question, who will deliver me from this body of death? If he had been talking about his own indwelling sin after conversion, why would he ask who would deliver him from this body of death? He had already stated a deliverance from that which held him captive in verse 6 and indeed in all of chapter 6. Here he speaks of needing of a future deliverance when asks, “who will deliver me?” Are we to believe that Paul, as the mature Christian writing the epistle to the Romans, is still captive to sin and needing deliverance from the law of sin and death? Are we to believe that Paul’s statement in Romans 8:2 [For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.] has not yet happened to him? I don’t think so. No, Paul is talking about being delivered from an unsaved wretched man state to a saved state of being in Christ Jesus.

Focus on Christ #85

84) Unbelievers are captive to the law of sin

2009-11-15T16:42:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:21-23 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. (22) For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, (23) but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Paul is still talking to his brothers [fellow Jews] and states that evil lies close at hand when he wants to do right and obey the law of God. This evil makes him captive to the law of sin that dwells in his members. Back in verse 6 he had told his brothers, “But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” Why would Paul be talking about law keeping in his post conversion state when he had just said that believers are released from the law that held them captive and serve in the new way of the Spirit? He wouldn’t! Therefore, starting in verse 7, Paul has been explaining the futility of serving in the old way of the written code. He has been explaining the time before his conversion when he was trying to establish his own righteousness through keeping the law.

To believe that Paul in this passage is talking about indwelling sin in himself as a believer, you have to believe that he was released from the law and died to that which held him captive at conversion, but then matured to a point where he again served in the old way of the written code and again became captive to the law of sin. No, Paul is contrasting the law, sin, flesh, and death with grace, Spirit, and life. In chapter 8 of Romans he develops this theme more thoroughly.

Focus on Christ #84

83) Unbelievers serve the sinful nature

2009-11-13T21:53:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:19-20 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. (20) Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Here in verses 19 and 20 Paul continues to repeat the same theme of being a slave to sin and the flesh. How can people who continually sin by doing evil have already been saved by grace? They can’t because once they are saved by grace they have been set free from sin and are able to bear fruit for God! Can a person saved by grace not have the ability to do the good they want? No! Once a person is saved they can do the good they want although not perfectly [Romans 7:4]. Therefore, Paul is not talking about someone saved by grace. He is talking about himself when he was unsaved and trying unsuccessfully to keep the law.

Focus on Christ #83

82) The desire but not the ability

2009-11-12T21:57:00.002-05:00

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Paul concludes that he has the desire to do what is right but not the ability to carry it out. He describes this condition as being in the flesh and he is talking about someone who is a slave to sin. This is not the condition of someone under grace that he described in Romans 6:22 “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” Therefore, he is still talking about a time before he had been set free from the power of sin and was trying to be a law keeper. Paul is driving home the point that attempting to be a law keeper is impossible because of the sinful nature.

Focus on Christ #82

81) The sinful nature controls unbelievers

2009-11-11T21:39:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:16-17 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. (17) So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Paul is talking about keeping the law in verses 14-17. Since Paul made it clear in Romans 6 through Romans 7:1-6 that believers have been set free from the law and serve in the new way of grace through the Spirit, he is obviously continuing his description in these verses of himself before his conversion. Although he agreed that the law is good, Paul was not able to keep the law because of his sinful nature that made him a slave to sin. Being a slave to sin is a condition of all human beings before they are born again through grace and the Spirit [Rom. 6:17-23].

Focus on Christ #81

80) Sold under sin

2009-11-10T22:04:00.002-05:00

Romans 7:14-15 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. (15) For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Since Paul in verses 4 & 6 has stated that believers have died to the law and have been released from the law that held them captive, he is obviously still alluding to a time before conversion and before serving in the new way of the Spirit in this passage. He states that he was of the flesh with a heart of flesh and a sinful nature that had total control of his actions. Though being a zealous law keeping Jew, he did not understand his actions and could not obey the law of God. Just like the bad tree that couldn’t produce good fruit, Paul’s heart of flesh couldn’t produce obedience to the law. He was still trying to serve in the old way of the written code and had not yet been set free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death [Rom. 8:2].

Focus on Christ #80

79) The law is Holy and good but cannot save

2009-11-09T18:26:00.002-05:00

Romans 7:12-13 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (13) Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

The law is holy and righteous and good. The law did not bring death to those under the Mosaic covenant. It was the sinful nature, producing sin through what is good, that was the killer. The law showed sin to be sin and, through the sin of coveting, revealed the sins of the heart to be sinful beyond measure. External law keeping through the power of the fallen sinful human will cannot subdue the sins of the human heart. Jesus said a bad tree couldn’t bear good fruit. The heart is the problem and the law is not the solution for the fallen sinful nature of man. That is why Paul stated in verse 6 that believers are released from the law that held them captive so they can serve in the new way of the Spirit.

Focus on Christ #79

78) Sin is a killer of souls

2009-11-08T08:30:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:10-11 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. (11) For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

Paul is still speaking of the time before being released from the law [verse 6]. He was a law keeping Jew and is referring to the tenth commandment that prohibited coveting. After his conversion Paul understood that coveting was a thought sin that required no actual physical sin on his part. Since thought sins originate in the heart and the hearts of men are wicked, the tenth commandment leaves human beings no chance at the perfect obedience required to merit eternal life that many erroneously thought was possible. Therefore, the tenth commandment proved to be death to Paul. Paul is making it very clear that man has no chance through self-effort to achieve the righteousness required to stand before God. The law was intended to show the unrighteousness of men and drive them to the redemption that is in Christ by grace.

Focus on Christ #78

77) Sin is the problem

2009-11-06T22:03:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:8-9 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. (9) I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.

Paul in verses 8 & 9 is still referring to the time before being released from the Law [verses 4 & 6]. The Law held sinners captive when Paul and his Jewish brothers served in the old way of the written code. Sin produced all kinds of covetousness and through human effort Paul was powerless to meet the demand of the commandment that condemned the desires of the human heart. The law had no power to save and in fact killed and that is why Paul referred to it as a ministry of death. The problem is sin and the sinful nature and the law only highlighted this problem.

Focus on Christ #77

76) The Law exposes sin

2009-11-05T09:09:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

In this verse Paul goes back in time and refers to how the law informed him of sin. The law is not sin, but had it not been for the law Paul would not have known sin. He gives the tenth commandment as an example. He states if the law had not said, “You shall not covet” he would not have even recognized what it meant to covet. Coveting is a sin of thought and not action. It is a matter of the heart that flows from a person’s nature and it cannot be avoided by external law keeping. A person may not act on a desire to covet, but that is too late as the sin was committed the instant the desire became thought.

Focus on Christ #76

75) Look to the NEW WAY and not the OLD WAY

2009-11-03T22:23:00.001-05:00

Romans 7:6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

Paul continues with the condition of Jewish believers in this verse. He restates what he said in verse 4 and that is Jewish believers have died to the law. In doing so they were released from the law, which had held them captive to sin and death. This obviously means the entire law as Paul defines the ministry of death in 2 Corinthians 3:7 as being the Ten Commandments. Now that Jesus Christ has come, believers in God are to serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. The message is to look to the NEW WAY of Jesus and the Spirit rather than the OLD WAY of the written code on tablets of stone.

Focus on Christ #75

74) Before belonging to Christ

2009-11-02T22:12:00.000-05:00

Romans 7:5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.

Here in verse 5 Paul reminds his brothers of their prior condition of living in the flesh before they had faith in Christ. Before dying to the law, the sinful passions of Paul and his Jewish brothers were aroused by the law. Since the law was powerless to subdue the passions of the sinful nature, these sinful passions bore fruit for death. The fruit was sin and the wages of sin is death. Paul was explaining to his fellow Jews that the Law was a ministry of death that could not save anyone, and in fact condemned them to death. Verse 5 is the condition of a Jew under Law before his condition in verse 4 of being in Christ.

Focus on Christ #74

73) Believers belong to Christ

2009-11-01T17:40:00.002-05:00

Romans 7:4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

Through the death of Christ, Jewish believers, who once were under the law, died to the law. They were once obligated to the demands of the law, but now they belong to another who has been raised from the dead. Through faith in Jesus Christ, those under law have suffered the curse of the law and paid their debt through the body of Christ on the cross. The blessings promised by the law have been secured by Jesus Christ’s perfect obedience to the law for not only Jews but also for Gentiles who believe. Having been raised from the dead in Christ, believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear fruit for God.

Focus on Christ #73

72) Jesus paid the bill for the free gift

2009-10-30T19:27:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All men are sinners at birth through their connection and representation with Adam, and this earns physical and spiritual death as all men become actual sinners. Due to God’s perfect justice, the wages of sin must be paid. However, God offers as a free gift eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. By being in Christ Jesus by faith, the wages of a person’s sin were placed on Jesus Christ. He received God’s justice on the cross of Calvary, and He provides the righteousness needed to stand before God for all who are in Christ Jesus by this faith. Believers should look to Christ for both salvation and sanctification.

Focus on Christ #72

71) Believers have been set free from sin by grace

2009-10-28T23:03:00.000-04:00

70) Grace defeats the law of sin and death

2009-10-27T10:45:00.001-04:00

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Grace came by Jesus Christ and it came with power. When Jesus came into the world full of grace and truth, more was provided than just satisfying the legal requirements for salvation. In addition to his atonement for sin, Jesus also provided believers with the indwelling Holy Spirit. Under the law sin had dominion and sinners were slaves to sin, but under grace the power of the Holy Spirit sets sinners free from the slavery of sin [Romans 8:2]. Not perfectly of course, but sin will no longer control the rudder and direction of all who are in Christ Jesus by faith. Grace earns the victory over the law through faith [1 John 5:4].

Focus on Christ #70

69) Grace replaced law

2009-10-25T13:27:00.002-04:00

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

In the giving of the law, Moses gave the ministry of death [2 Cor. 3:7] to national Israel. The purpose of this ministry of death was to convict the Jews of sin and point them to a Messiah for mercy and redemption. Jesus Christ was this Messiah and He came into the world in human flesh full of grace and truth. The person and work of Jesus Christ fulfilled the promise of the Old Testament and paid the price for this amazing grace. Jesus rendered the Mosaic Covenant obsolete [Hebrews 8:13] by perfectly fulfilling it and suffering its curse for the redeemed [Galatians 3:13]. All who are in Jesus by faith have received Grace upon grace, and His truth abides forever.

Focus on Christ #69

68) Don’t suppress the truth about humanity

2009-10-23T22:45:00.000-04:00

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Many in churches today proclaim that man is basically good and announce to the world that God loves them unconditionally. They are suppressing the very truth that Paul reveals in this passage. While God is love and his grace and mercy abound in many ways to the human race, His anger and wrath against human unrighteousness and sin is revealed clearly by Holy Scripture. John the Baptist did not announce the coming of the Kingdom of God by telling people to continue on unchanged because God loves them unconditionally. No, he told them to repent for the forgiveness of sins. Through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ sinners can experience the redeeming love and mercy of God.

Focus on Christ #68

67) Christians are reconciled to God by God

2009-10-22T08:23:00.000-04:00

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

In the ministry of reconciliation God makes new creations that are in Christ by faith alone. It is all from God as Jesus provided the righteousness and paid the sin debt for sinners to be reconciled to Him. Redeemed sinners are not left unchanged as Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to indwell and lead them into ways of righteousness. While Christians are not made perfect and have setbacks along the way, they are compelled by the leading of the Spirit to be reconciled to God. This message of reconciliation was fully revealed to Paul and Paul has given it to us in Holy Scripture. The mystery of this revelation was not fully revealed until Jesus ascended to heaven. Then, beginning at Pentecost, the apostles carried the message of forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God to the world as they started and built the church of Jesus Christ.

Focus on Christ #67

66) Christians are reborn by the power of God

2009-10-20T09:07:00.000-04:00

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

To be in Christ is to be redeemed by the blood of Christ. Such a person is a new creation due to the power of God and not anything done by his own effort. Having been made spiritually alive by God, the old has passed away and the new has come [Ephesians 2:5]. Those who are in Christ have new hearts, attitudes, and desires than their former self. This verse points to the reality of the coming of the counselor [Holy Spirit] that Jesus foretold. It is an occurrence that began at Pentecost with the birth of the church of Jesus Christ [Eph. 2:11-22].

Focus on Christ #66

2009-10-18T17:20:00.001-04:00

Focus on Christ devotional INDEX

2009-10-17T09:24:00.022-04:00

DEVOTIONAL INDEX

WHERE FOUND:
August 2009 - devotional numbers 1-27
September 2009 - devotional numbers 28-54
October 2009- devotional numbers 55-72
November 2009- devotional numbers 73-89
December 2009- devotional numbers 90-103
January 2010- devotional numbers 104- 111
February 2010- devotional numbers 112- 118
March 2010 - devotional numbers 119- 127
April 2010 - devotional numbers 128 - 133

BY SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:
EXODUS
#31- Exodus 19:5-6

MATTHEW
#19- Matt 5:17
#26- Matt 16:18
#53- Matt 17:5
#54- Matt 17:8
#32- Matt 27:50-51
#60- Matt 28:18-20
#61- Matt 28:18-20
#62- Matt 28:18-20
#63- Matt 28:18-20

LUKE
#29- Luke 24:27
#30- Luke 24:44

JOHN
#69- John 1:17
#64- John 13:34-35
#116- John 15:1
#117- John 15:2
#118- John 15:3
#119- John 15:4
#120- John 15:5
#121- John 15:6
#65- John 15:10

ACTS
#55- Acts 1:1-2
#56- Acts 9:15
#27- Acts 14:27
#2- Acts 15:10-11
#28- Acts 17:11

ROMANS
#68- Rom 1:18
#8- Rom 3:31
#122- Rom 6:1-2
#123- Rom 6:3-4
#124- Rom 6:5-6
#125- Rom 6:7
#126- Rom 6:8
#127- Rom 6:9-10
#128- Rom 6:11
#129- Rom 6:12-13
#70- Rom 6:14
#130- Rom 6:15
#131- Rom 6:16
#132- Rom 6:17-18
#133- Rom 6:19
#134- Rom 6:20
#135- Rom 6:21
#71- Rom 6:22
#72- Rom 6:23
#73- Rom 7:4
#74- Rom 7:5
#75- Rom 7:6
#76- Rom 7:7
#77- Rom 7:8-9
#78- Rom 7:10-11
#79- Rom 7:12-13
#80- Rom 7:14-15
#81- Rom 7:16-17
#82- Rom 7:18
#83- Rom 7:19-20
#84- Rom 7:21-23
#85- Rom 7:24
#86- Rom 7:25
#13- Rom 8:1
#14- Rom 8:2
#15- Rom 8:3
#16- Rom 8:4
#17- Rom 8:5
#18- Rom 8:6
#92- Rom 8:7-8
#93- Rom 8:9
#94- Rom 8:10-11
#95- Rom 8:12
#96- Rom 8:13
#97- Rom 8:14
#10- Rom 9:8

1 CORINTHIANS
# 6- 1 Cor 11:25
#91- 1 Cor 9-20-21

2 CORINTHIANS
#9- 2 Cor 3:7-8
#11- 2 Cor 3:11
#66- 2 Cor 5:17
#67- 2 Cor 5:18-19

GALATIANS
#57- Gal 1:11-12
#58- Gal 1:13-14
#59- Gal 1:15-16
#87- Gal 3:3
#88- Gal 3:23
#89- Gal 3:24-26
#90- Gal 3:27-29
#3- Gal 5:1
#12- Gal 5:18

EPHESIANS
#98- Eph 1:3-4A
#99- Eph 1:4B-6
#100- Eph 1:7-10
#101- Eph 1:11-12
#102- Eph 1:13-14
#103- Eph 2:1-3
#104- Eph 2:4-5
#105- Eph 2:6-7
#106- Eph 2:8-9
#35- Eph 2:11-12
#36- Eph 2:13
#37- Eph 2:14
#38- Eph 2:15
#39- Eph 2:16
#40- Eph 2:17
#41- Eph 2:18
#42- Eph 2:19
#43- Eph 2:20
#44- Eph 2:21
#45- Eph 2:22
#46- Eph 3:1-3
#47- Eph 3:4-5
#48- Eph 3:6
#49- Eph 3:7
#50- Eph 3:8-10
#51- Eph 3:11-12

HEBREWS
#52- Heb 1:1-2
#4- Heb 8:6
#5- Heb 8:7
#20- Heb 8:8
#21- Heb 8:9
#22- Heb 8:10
#23- Heb 8:11
#24- Heb 8:12
#25- Heb 8:13
#1- Heb 9:15
#34- Heb 11:10

1 PETER
#33- 1 Peter 2:9-10

2 PETER
#107- 2 Peter 1:2
#108- 2 Peter 1:3
#109- 2 Peter 1:4
#110- 2 Peter 1:5-7
#111- 2 Peter 1:8
#112- 2 Peter 1:9
#113- 2 Peter 1:10
#114- 2 Peter 1:11
#115- 2 Peter 1:12

1 JOHN
#7- 1 John 5:4

65) In Christ believers satisfy the law’s demands

2009-10-15T09:26:00.002-04:00

John 15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

In this passage Jesus makes a clear distinction between His commandments and His Father’s commandments. Since Jesus was born under law to Jewish parents, His Father’s commandments would include the Ten Commandments. The nation of Israel was required legally by covenant to fulfill the law and Ten Commandments to receive God’s blessings. None even came close to obeying and fulfilling their covenant obligation to God’s law, but a small remnant turned to God in repentance for mercy and was saved by faith in a promised redeemer. By fulfilling these commandments as our surety, Jesus became the redeemer that saves all who are in Christ by faith. By His life of perfection and death as atonement for sin, Jesus secured the promised blessings of the Old Covenant for those who believe.

Therefore, Jesus does not send believers back to the Old Covenant that He fulfilled on their behalf. That would be to send believers back to the ministry of death that condemned them in the first place [Romans 8:2, Acts 15:10, Galatians]. Instead, He commands believers to keep His commandments that are found in the New Testament. Being under grace instead of law means obedience has changed from a yoke to heavy to bear [Acts 15:10] to a yoke that gives rest for the soul [Matt. 11:29-30]. Grace transforms believers into new creations in Christ with the motivation to keep the commandments of Christ [see Hebrews 8]. While believers fail to perfectly keep the commandments of Jesus Christ, grace and forgiveness cover their sins, since they are not placing themselves under the covenant contract of the Law. Galatians 3:10 points this out: For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Galatians 3:23-26 points out that the Law was a guardian until Christ and faith came. Christ and faith have come and we are no longer under the Law as a guardian. We are not under the Law for justification and we are also not under Law for sanctification. Paul stated it as follows in Romans 6:14: For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Our focus should be on Christ. His burden is light and He provides rest for our souls. ALL [100%] that we need is found in Him and His New Covenant teaching.

Focus on Christ #65

64) Love one another

2009-10-13T12:57:00.001-04:00

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (35) By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In this verse Jesus added a commandment to the moral precepts of Ten Commandments that are restated in the New Testament. Some of these [ten] commandments were restated without change and Jesus strengthened some. While most of the Ten Commandments prohibited bad behavior and began with Thou shall not, this new commandment encouraged the positive attribute of love. In the New Covenant believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit, which enables them to have an internal heartfelt desire to obey Christ and follow his commandments. Instead of the external law keeping of the Old Covenant, believers in the New Covenant are led by the Spirit in becoming more and more conformed to the image of Christ through obedience to His law. [Hebrews 8:10-11, 2 Cor. 5:17, Romans 8:29]

Focus on Christ #64

63) Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach (part 4)

2009-10-11T07:59:00.002-04:00

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus makes it clear that disciples are to be baptized. In this passage Jesus does not present baptism as a requirement to be saved. He commands that disciples be baptized after they become believers. Jesus is commanding that believers only be baptized which would preclude infants. Neither Jesus in this passage nor any other passage in the New Testament directs the church to baptize infants. It violates New Covenant teaching to place works or baptism before faith [Ephesians 2:8-9].

Focus on Christ #63

62) Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach (part 3)

2009-10-09T09:40:00.001-04:00

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. The New Testament Scriptures are clear that there is no distinction between disciples and believers. There are NOT disciples who follow Jesus and carnal Christians who accept the free gift of eternal life but refuse to follow Jesus. This heretical teaching fails to acknowledge the power of God the Holy Spirit in salvation. This POWER from God is given to all who are saved by faith alone. [John 3:3, 2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:14] When Jesus said go make disciples, he was talking about one and only one classification of Christians. Christians are believers who have been regenerated and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Although they are still sinners and not perfect, they are disciples that follow Christ and have a heartfelt desire to be obedient to his teachings. This discipleship flows from the power of God.

Focus on Christ #62

61) Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach (part 2)

2009-10-08T09:11:00.001-04:00

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Where do we find the information to make disciples? While much can and should be learned from the Old Testament about God’s promises, history, and unfolding plan of redemption; ALL the information and precepts needed for justification and Christian sanctification is revealed in the New Testament. The New Testament quotes the Old Testament extensively in presenting Christ as the fulfillment and focus of redemptive history. In this fulfillment, Jesus removed the yoke of the Old Covenant Law by fulfilling all of its legal requirements. Therefore, the New Testament is where unbelievers go for the gospel message, and disciples go to learn all that is needed to be faithful disciples. Jesus said, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [Matt. 11:28]

Focus on Christ #61

60) Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach (part 1)

2009-10-07T09:22:00.001-04:00

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Devotionals #52 through #59 highlight Scripture passages that direct the apostles and believers to listen to Jesus and His commands. What are these commands that Jesus gave the apostles and believers [WDJC]? The great commission sums this up directly and clearly. Believers are to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We are to teach them to observe ALL that Jesus commanded. ALL that Jesus commanded is found in the New Testament and as the eight preceding devotionals point out, the apostles and writers of the New Testament received it directly from Jesus and recorded it in Scripture for us. Therefore, believers should listen to Jesus by thoroughly learning the New Testament. That is where his teaching and commands can be found.

Focus on Christ #60

59) Paul was predestined and called by God

2009-10-05T22:07:00.002-04:00

Galatians 1:15-16 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, (16) was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;

Paul states emphatically that his call by God was predestined before he was even born. While some may debate God’s predestination and sovereign effectual call as universal principle, there is no doubt that Paul was predestined, called, and saved by grace alone. It is also clear that Paul received his revelation and instructions unfiltered, directly from God, for the purpose of preaching among the Gentiles. It is important to note that Paul’s gospel DOES NOT conflict with the gospel principles of the other apostles. When any gospel message is in direct contradiction with the New Testament, such as the book of Mormon, you can be sure it is a false gospel.

Focus on Christ #59

58) Before God called him, Paul was extremely zealous but wrong

2009-10-04T13:21:00.001-04:00

Galatians 1:13-14 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. (14) And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

Paul’s zeal for the traditions of his Jewish fathers was so strong that he persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it completely. Paul and the nation of Israel were under the yoke of the law and all but a small remnant pursued righteousness through this law. Most failed to turn to God for mercy, as did the small remnant, and their hearts were hardened. Therefore, while Paul was extremely knowledgeable in Old Testament Scripture, he was blind to his need for mercy and redemption from God.

Focus on Christ #58

57) Jesus spoke and Paul listened

2009-10-03T08:55:00.001-04:00

Galatians 1:11-12 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. (12) For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Although Paul was extremely advanced in Judaism, he was unaware of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul, as most Jews of the Old Testament era, had a veil over his heart when he read the old covenant. The nation of Israel was under law. While God preserved a small remnant through grace, most Jews pursued righteousness based on works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone [Romans 9:32]. But now grace had come to Paul on the Road to Damascus and He received the gospel directly from Jesus through revelation.

Focus on Christ #57

56) Jesus chose and commanded Paul to preach the gospel

2009-10-02T08:42:00.001-04:00

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

Jesus told Ananias in a vision to go to Saul of Tarsus and lay his hands on him so he could regain his vision after his experience on the Road to Damascus. His mission as described in the verse above was to carry the name of Jesus before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. Paul listened to Christ and spent his entire ministry preaching Christ crucified. Just as Jesus had commanded His chosen apostles right before his ascension, He chose and commanded Paul to also build His Church through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Focus on Christ #56

55) The apostles listened to Jesus

2009-10-01T08:04:00.000-04:00

Acts 1:1-2 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, (2) until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

On the Mount of Transfiguration the message for the three apostles was to listen to Jesus Christ and in the first sentence of Acts we are told they listened as Jesus gave commands through the Holy Spirit to his chosen apostles right up to the day of His ascension. Jesus was going to build his Church through his apostles and it was important for them to listen just as God had instructed. They were His agents for starting and nurturing this completely new entity, The Church of Jesus Christ. This was more than a new administration of an existing covenant. This was a new covenant fulfilling and replacing the old covenant [see devotionals #20 through #25 on Hebrews 8:8-13].

Focus on Christ #55

54) Keep your eyes upon Jesus

2009-09-29T21:44:00.002-04:00

Matthew 17:8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Prior to verse 8 above, Peter had asked Jesus in verse 4 if he would like for him to make three tents, one for Jesus and one for Moses and one for Elijah. Then the voice of God said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” After the apostles fell on the ground face down in fear, Jesus told them to rise and have no fear. When they did this they saw no one but Jesus. For the apostles and for us the message is clear. Jesus is the one to listen to and He is the one to see. We should keep our eyes focused upon Jesus and listen to him and his revelation of fulfillment in the New Covenant and not Moses or Elijah [Heb. 1:1-2].

Focus on Christ #54

53) Listen to Him

2009-09-28T22:07:00.002-04:00

Matthew 17:5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a high mountain where He was transfigured before them and his face became as bright as the sun. Moses received the law from God on Mount Sinai and here on the Mount of Transfiguration these three Jewish apostles, who were under the Law of Moses, were told by God to listen to Jesus Christ. John would later write: John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The message is clear and that is to LISTEN to Jesus Christ who brought grace and truth to replace the law [Romans 7:6]. Jesus provides grace for salvation and truth as the new lawgiver for Christian discipleship.

Focus on Christ #53

52) The Final Word in Jesus

2009-09-27T16:27:00.001-04:00

Hebrews 1:1-2 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

The term long ago refers to the Old Testament and old covenant era where God’s revelation came in many ways through his prophets. The term last days refers to the new covenant era where God has spoken to us through his son Jesus Christ. This revelation from Jesus Christ was given to the apostles and has been recorded in the New Testament gospels and epistles for our enlightenment. In these gospels and epistles God’s completed plan of redemption has been made known. The Old Testament mystery that Paul talks about in Ephesians 3, has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the new covenant. These New Testament gospels and epistles interpret what was veiled in the Old Testament, and we would do well to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and listen to this completed revelation.

Focus on Christ #52