1025. Did Jesus Send the Spirit to Convict You of Sin?

Overheard inside a church building near you:

"The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin."
"Sin separates us from God."
"Sin will hinder our fellowship with God."

What if none of these things are accurate? Would it positively change how you see God in your daily life? What if the blood of Jesus was stronger than sin ... stronger than your fleshly works ... would it bring an indescribable peace that surpasses your understanding?

Sometimes it's difficult to get the right answers without asking the right questions. Here is one example: Why would God repeatedly convict you or remind you—as a believer in Christ—of something that He declared He would no longer remember inside of a new and better covenant? This would only result in the same sin consciousness that the Jewish people were delivered from within a sacrificial system that brought a constant reminder of sins.

Religious legalists will indirectly declare the work of the cross as insufficient and are forced into the dubious position of trusting in themselves. God's Spirit is there to convict/remind you of His righteousness and bears witness that sins were removed and taken away, once for all. His desire is to cleanse our conscience from dead works to experience an inheritance of eternal redemption ... through a new and living way.



   
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1024. "Hey God, Come Here for a Minute"

The practice of inviting God into our presence may be something many of us have done and may still do without stopping to think much about it. There are various phrases used when the invitation is extended but they all pretty much imply that God isn't with us, and we would like Him to show up and make some sort of appearance.

God never leaves you. He doesn't come and go. The "worship" environment we try to create within our surroundings has nothing to do with it. Prayer is not meant to be a monologue, nor should it be like trying to leave a heavenly voicemail. He doesn't need to send an RSVP to our invitation because He has invited us into His presence. His favorite thing to do is hang out with His children—at all times—while guiding us into the truth of Jesus and bringing comfort, peace, and joy.



   
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1023. Your Lifestyle Is Not Your Testimony

Behavior improvement is a great thing. It can be profitable in multiple ways for yourself and those around you. Avoiding sinful options is always good advice. But our conduct and good works should not be considered as our testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. To do so is boasting in the flesh with an attitude of self-righteousness. It proudly screams, "Look at me!"

Paul said if anyone thought they might have confidence in the flesh (of doing), he could surpass it even more. He wrote to the Philippians with an entirely different approach as one who does not have confidence in the flesh but rather, worships God in Spirit. He had a resume that was unmatched in being a keeper of the Mosaic law and the misguided righteousness found within it. But he counted it all as loss and nothing more than rubbish ... that was replaced with something better ... and that is Christ.

"And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Philippians 3:9).

The testimony for all of us is not something we perform to be temporarily seen ... but it is the Person of Jesus Christ and the gift of God's righteousness by faith. It's in knowing Him and the power of His resurrection. This only occurs apart from law and works.



   
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1022. Why You Can't Be a Disciple of Jesus (According to Jesus)

When Jesus spoke about being His disciple, it contained some pretty overwhelming requirements to even qualify for a shot at the position. It's not unusual to see the world of religion try to "Christianize" something Jesus said that was specifically intended for those to whom He was speaking ... Jewish people who were still under the Mosaic law, before the cross. It meant hating family by comparison, carrying your own cross, and giving up all possessions.

Jesus wasn't speaking to you but was showing would-be followers that they would be unable to cover the cost of what was needed. Only He could carry that cross in order to bring redemption.

Compare the rigorous conditions of being a disciple of Jesus with this:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

Notice the difference between working through your dedication and commitment at trying to become more like Jesus by what you do ... compared to letting Him release you from such a burden.



   
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1021. Identifying as a Disciple (And How to Avoid It)

"Discipleship" is often a big theme inside of many church buildings. But when we are told to be disciples, what does it mean? What pops into your mind? What do you need to do to get there? Is it your level of dedication? Your commitment to God? To the church corporation? To unwavering Bible reading and prayer? Maybe you just automatically think of the twelve that followed Jesus ... and that you should do the same and "follow Him."

A disciple is defined as a student or pupil—in other words—someone who learns from another. It was a significant part of the culture in Bible times to become like the teacher. Most who consider themselves disciples today are the result of having learned tenets and dogma from their church denomination (which may or may not have much to do with the gospel).

While growing in the knowledge of the truth and learning more about God and the gospel can be a good thing to do, it does not make you who you are. It may surprise some to find out the word disciple never appears even once in any of the New Testament epistles ... indicating it is not meant to be a part of your identity in Christ.



   
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1020. Written and Engraved on Stones: The Strength of Sin

Imagine seeking guidance from a trusted clergy or spiritual counselor who taught and instructed you to work hard at keeping a code of stone-tablet commandments in order to succeed at securing favor and blessings from God. Chances are good you won't have to imagine because you've experienced it firsthand. You were exposed to the two-headed monster known as law and grace.

What they didn't understand was that they were pouring gasoline on the fire. The law written and engraved on stones is a ministry that no longer has glory. It was a source of death and condemnation. It was the strength of sin and it resulted in sin increasing ... not being reduced. The very thing Jesus came to redeem Jewish people from (the law) is the same thing that religion often burdens people with today ... albeit their own condensed version of it. It leads to bearing fruit for death, not life.

The better way: Knowing your identity as one who has had their heart purified by faith, is declared righteous, holy, and perfected ... and is already like Jesus through an inheritance. Understanding that you are not identified any longer as a sinner will allow the Spirit of God to guide you into bearing His fruit for life.



   
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1019. A Ministry of Works That Was Not of Faith

We're continuing on the question as to why the Christian church world has largely mixed law and grace. Something that is often overlooked from the legalistic side of the fence is that the old Mosaic law of stone tablets was not rooted in or based upon faith. Think about that. The religious mixture emphasized so frequently has confused "doing" with faith—much like those who were under the law prior to the cross.

Most have failed to realize the law of rules and regulations was not given to reduce sin ... but rather it resulted in sin increasing under that ministry. Today, Christians tend to formulate their own modernized version of law/works that may include some trace elements from the law contained in the first covenant for the Jewish people. The goal is to make it more doable so that people can feel as though they have contributed to improve their position with God.

The law of works had a purpose ... but also had an expiration date for the Jewish people (until the Seed would come). Jesus came. Grace came with Him. This has overshadowed the shadow through a promise. Grace through faith is a guarantee found within the person of Jesus. It has no place being blended with something that was incapable of bringing life or righteousness.



   
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