Changing Your World

Under the covenant of grace, God asks us to be holy, but not the way religion tells us. Unlike the law, which demanded perfect and spotless sacrifices, God asks us to willingly sacrifice ourselves to Him, flaws and all. This is so that He can express His love through us. Being holy isn’t living a sinless life, but standing separate and apart from the common world. Genuine holiness comes when we accept and understand that because of our faith in Jesus, we’re different and don’t blend in with the crowd.

Under the covenant of grace, God asks us to be holy, but not the way religion tells us. Unlike the law, which demanded perfect and spotless sacrifices, God asks us to willingly sacrifice ourselves to Him, flaws and all. This is so that He can express His love through us. Being holy isn’t living a sinless life, but standing separate and apart from the common world.

One of the biggest challenges for us as believers is avoiding getting caught up in religion with all its rules. Trying to live by the law keeps us off balance, but walking according to the rhythm of grace gives us rest and keeps us from becoming exhausted. God has told us we are righteous and holy; staying in rhythm with grace when we make a mistake rescues us from pausing and trying to figure out what to do to deal with our behavior. We must never underestimate God’s mercy and kindness.

One of the biggest challenges for us as believers is avoiding getting caught up in religion with all its rules. Trying to live by the law keeps us off balance, but walking according to the rhythm of grace gives us rest and keeps us from becoming exhausted. God has told us we are righteous and holy; staying in rhythm with grace when we make a mistake rescues us from pausing and trying to figure out what to do to deal with our behavior. We must never underestimate God’s mercy and kindness.

One of the biggest challenges for us as believers is avoiding getting caught up in religion with all its rules. Trying to live by the law keeps us off balance, but walking according to the rhythm of grace gives us rest and keeps us from becoming exhausted. God has told us we are righteous and holy; staying in rhythm with grace when we make a mistake rescues us from pausing and trying to figure out what to do to deal with our behavior. We must never underestimate God’s mercy and kindness.

There’s a connection between faith and grace that we must understand if we’re to thrive and flourish as Christians. Traditional religious teachings say that we must work our faith until it’s strong enough to produce results. However, our own faith is flawed and imperfect when compared to Jesus’ perfect and complete faith. His faith is the same as God’s faith, and is based in His finished works; this is the kind of faith we need.

There’s a connection between faith and grace that we must understand if we’re to thrive and flourish as Christians. Traditional religious teachings say that we must work our faith until it’s strong enough to produce results. However, our own faith is flawed and imperfect when compared to Jesus’ perfect and complete faith. His faith is the same as God’s faith, and is based in His finished works; this is the kind of faith we need.

There’s a connection between faith and grace that we must understand if we’re to thrive and flourish as Christians. Traditional religious teachings say that we must work our faith until it’s strong enough to produce results. However, our own faith is flawed and imperfect when compared to Jesus’ perfect and complete faith. His faith is the same as God’s faith, and is based in His finished works; this is the kind of faith we need.

During Jesus’ ministry, His entry into the city of Jerusalem was a major event. It fulfilled Old-Testament prophecy and gave the people hope. However, there was widespread misunderstanding as to why He was there; contrary to coming as a military conqueror or a political ruler, He came to bring peace and salvation to those who believed in Him. Faith in Christ and in His freewill sacrifice of Himself is enough to provide forgiveness in God’s eyes for all our sins—even the ones we haven’t committed yet.

As believers seeking a deeper understanding of who Jesus really is, we must go deeper than religious definitions. Jesus Christ wasn’t simply a man sent by God, but the creator, Himself, in human form. Jesus’ mission was to deliver eternal grace and truth to mankind, and He was the only one able to do so. He’s preeminent and can’t be compared to Moses, who gave the law, because He’s far greater. There’s no one higher; having a personal relationship with Him gives us an eternal perspective.

As believers seeking a deeper understanding of who Jesus really is, we must go deeper than religious definitions. Jesus Christ wasn’t simply a man sent by God, but the creator, Himself, in human form. Jesus’ mission was to deliver eternal grace and truth to mankind, and He was the only one able to do so. He’s preeminent and can’t be compared to Moses, who gave the law, because He’s far greater. There’s no one higher; having a personal relationship with Him gives us an eternal perspective.

Believers know that there’s a difference between living and simply existing. Choosing to believe in Jesus Christ elevates us from a point where we simply exist to a state where we experience abundant life; believing is the condition for receiving eternal life. To receive Christ also means to receive God’s unmerited, undeserved favor and His truth. The beauty and power of grace is that it doesn’t operate according to what we do, but according to what Jesus already did, and our faith in it.

Believers know that there’s a difference between living and simply existing. Choosing to believe in Jesus Christ elevates us from a point where we simply exist to a state where we experience abundant life; believing is the condition for receiving eternal life. To receive Christ also means to receive God’s unmerited, undeserved favor and His truth. The beauty and power of grace is that it doesn’t operate according to what we do, but according to what Jesus already did, and our faith in it.

The faith that God gave us when we got born again was a gift from Him. We received it without having to work for it; this faith gives us victory over the natural world we live in. Our salvation includes healing, deliverance, prosperity, peace, joy, wholeness, and everything else we need; faith is our positive response to what grace has done. Regardless of what we struggle to believe, God’s perfect and complete belief remains unaffected and rock steady.

The faith that God gave us when we got born again was a gift from Him. We received it without having to work for it; this faith gives us victory over the natural world we live in. Our salvation includes healing, deliverance, prosperity, peace, joy, wholeness, and everything else we need; faith is our positive response to what grace has done. Regardless of what we struggle to believe, God’s perfect and complete belief remains unaffected and rock steady.