The phenomenon of Checklist Christianity is not new. Way back in the garden of Eden, we find two very important trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the
Why Are There So Few Who Teach the Grace Message?
95% of Christians do not know the Grace Message! If you are one of those who do, you already know two realities. First, many of your Christian friends have never
If We Don’t Forgive, Will God Forgive Us?
One of the biggies that strikes fear and anxiety in many is this question, “If I don’t forgive, will God forgive me?” It’s a valid question because if the answer
Breaking The Pattern of Living Under Self-Imposed Religious Rules
Ice cream comes in many flavors, but regardless of the taste, it’s still ice cream. In the same way, legalistic religious rules based on denomination or personal preferences have many
The Gospel Isn’t Just For Non-Christians
Recently, I (Mark Maulding) was reading Romans 1:15 where the Apostle Paul says, “So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in
Why You Should Always Ask "So What?"
So what? That question should be asked every time we are taught the New Covenant. But first, we need to know the basics of the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:33‐34 tells us that it holds us up by three pillars. 33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
1. Pillar One – God gave us a new identity. Years ago, a lady told me she was praying God would write His law on her heart. He had already answered her prayer the day she was saved. But what does that mean? The Law is based on the character of God, meaning He has placed His character in our new heart in Christ. So what? We are not defined by our past, parents, possessions or peer. God alone defines us as holy, righteous, blameless, loving and more. It’s who we are in the deepest core of our being.
2. Pillar Two – God united Himself to us. The word “know” in verse 34 is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 4:1 where Adam and Eve’s amazing intimacy of their physical union is written about. Similarly, God united Himself to us spiritually. So what? He wants to enjoy us and for us to enjoy Him as He loves us from the inside and lives through us the very life of Christ.
3. Pillar Three – God forgave us completely. God forgave us so thoroughly that it not only includes our past but our future, too. Not remembering our sins any more means He doesn’t hold them against us even when we do sin. So what? We never need to feel compelled to “run away” from our Father when we sin. We can run to Him and be honest about what we have done and confident we are forgiven. And then ask Jesus to live through us in us to overcome the next time (That’s repentance.)
There is so much more I’d like to tell you about the “So what?” for every one of these, but space prohibits it. A lot of this will be in the book I am writing; but, you don’t have to wait for it to come out. You can hear it taught NOW in one of our offices in person or online. The next opportunity for this in Charlotte and Asheville is our Grace Life Conference. The next opportunity for women only is our Women of Grace one morning a week. See the sidebar for more info.
May you enjoy Jesus and the blessings you already have in the New Covenant in Him this week.
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!
