There are some Scriptures that keep many Christians awake at night. They are fearful they might reach their sin-limit with God and He will send them to hell. A pastor
Our Lies about God Can Cause Great Fear
At GLI, we are convinced from Scripture and the thousands of people we’ve ministered to, that almost every person has a main lie about God which can cause great
Christian Myth #11 – God Will Not Give Us More Than We Can Handle
Since this week is Thanksgiving week, I thought I would write on a myth that you may face this week. Some of us are going to be in family
Myth #8 – We Need to Balance Grace with Law
God’s grace seems too good to be true because God accepts us who are in Christ with no strings attached! He accepts us 100% when we obey Him and He
Christian Myth #7 – If I Really Trusted God, I Wouldn’t Have Problems
If God loves us, shouldn’t trusting Him diminish our problems? Some Christians believe that trusting God means we shouldn’t have any trials and our lives should always be great. This
Christian Myth #5 – I’m Just a Sinner Saved by Grace
The common phrase, “I’m just a sinner saved by grace”, sounds humble but it is far from the message of the gospel. I understand what people are attempting to
Christian Myth #4 – God Punishes Us
The majority of Christians wrongly believe that God punishes them when they mess up. So, when bad things happen to them, they default to thinking, “I must have
The New Testament Begins in Acts not Matthew
If you are like I used to be, you may be greatly confused when you read the Gospels. They seem to contradict other New Testament Scripture. Most of our confusion is because we think these teachings are part of the New Covenant (Testament). However most of them are not. The New Testament starts in Acts, not Matthew. How do we know that?
When we are reading, we need to ask ourselves a question. “Has Jesus died yet when this was written?” If not, it’s Old Covenant, in most cases. If He has died, it’s New Covenant writing.
When Jesus came to the earth, He came directly to the Jews who were still under the Old Covenant relationship with God. Want to get the gist of the Old Covenant? Deuteronomy 28 spells it out very clearly. If Israel obeyed God’s laws, there were12 verses of blessings He would give them. (See 1-14) If Israel disobeyed God’s laws, there were 52 verses of curses He would give them. (See 15-68)
Do you want to live in that kind of relationship with God? I don’t! Unfortunately, many Christians believe that is still how God treats them though we are under the New Covenant of grace. So, Christianity is a burden instead of a blessing.
A lot of what Jesus taught was Old Covenant teaching to the Jews of His day. And when He taught them, He was raising the bar of how perfect they needed to be accepted and blessed by God. Here are some examples:
Unless you are more righteous than the strictest religious leaders in Jesus’s day, the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will not go to heaven. Matthew 5:20
Calling someone an idiot or crazy because you are angry with them will send you to hell. Matthew 5:22.
Lust is adultery. Matthew 5: 27-28
If you don’t forgive people who offend you, God will not forgive you. Matthew 6:15
If you don’t forgive people who offend you, God will send you to hell. Matthew 18:21-25
You must live a perfect life exactly the way God does. Matthew 5:48
These teachings were aimed at showing the Jews of His day and anyone who reads them now that it is impossible to get God to accept you unconditionally by obeying the law. He wanted to prepare them for how much they needed Him to be their Savior.
He was about to bring into existence the New Covenant and was preparing them and everyone else for it. But the New Covenant did not begin until after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. See Hebrew 9:15.
Let’s compare what the New Covenant says about God and you as a Christ follower.
God has already forgiven you whether you forgive or not. Colossians 2:13
God made you perfect in your identity in Christ. Hebrews 10:14
God made you a saint (holy person) and not a lustful person in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:2
God made you a patient person because you are complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10
The Old Covenant was conditional based on man’s imperfect works. The New Covenant is conditional based on faith in Jesus’ perfect work.
Read the New Testament with clarity today as you understand the New Testament starts in Acts, not Matthew.
Believe it! It’s the Gospel.
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!
The New Testament Begins in Acts not Matthew
If you are like I used to be, you may be greatly confused when you read the Gospels. They seem to contradict other New Testament Scripture. Most of our confusion is because we think these teachings are part of the New Covenant (Testament). However most of them are not. The New Testament starts in Acts, not Matthew. How do we know that?
When we are reading, we need to ask ourselves a question. “Has Jesus died yet when this was written?” If not, it’s Old Covenant, in most cases. If He has died, it’s New Covenant writing.
When Jesus came to the earth, He came directly to the Jews who were still under the Old Covenant relationship with God. Want to get the gist of the Old Covenant? Deuteronomy 28 spells it out very clearly. If Israel obeyed God’s laws, there were12 verses of blessings He would give them. (See 1-14) If Israel disobeyed God’s laws, there were 52 verses of curses He would give them. (See 15-68)
Do you want to live in that kind of relationship with God? I don’t! Unfortunately, many Christians believe that is still how God treats them though we are under the New Covenant of grace. So, Christianity is a burden instead of a blessing.
A lot of what Jesus taught was Old Covenant teaching to the Jews of His day. And when He taught them, He was raising the bar of how perfect they needed to be accepted and blessed by God. Here are some examples:
Unless you are more righteous than the strictest religious leaders in Jesus’s day, the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will not go to heaven. Matthew 5:20
Calling someone an idiot or crazy because you are angry with them will send you to hell. Matthew 5:22.
Lust is adultery. Matthew 5: 27-28
If you don’t forgive people who offend you, God will not forgive you. Matthew 6:15
If you don’t forgive people who offend you, God will send you to hell. Matthew 18:21-25
You must live a perfect life exactly the way God does. Matthew 5:48
These teachings were aimed at showing the Jews of His day and anyone who reads them now that it is impossible to get God to accept you unconditionally by obeying the law. He wanted to prepare them for how much they needed Him to be their Savior.
He was about to bring into existence the New Covenant and was preparing them and everyone else for it. But the New Covenant did not begin until after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. See Hebrew 9:15.
Let’s compare what the New Covenant says about God and you as a Christ follower.
God has already forgiven you whether you forgive or not. Colossians 2:13
God made you perfect in your identity in Christ. Hebrews 10:14
God made you a saint (holy person) and not a lustful person in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:2
God made you a patient person because you are complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10
The Old Covenant was conditional based on man’s imperfect works. The New Covenant is conditional based on faith in Jesus’ perfect work.
Read the New Testament with clarity today as you understand the New Testament starts in Acts, not Matthew.
Believe it! It’s the Gospel.
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!
