Christ Reigns

To reign means to be the King, the highest in authority, the uncontested leader of a kingdom. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus has established His kingdom on earth, which is called the church.

Two things to note here. A King has a throne, and He will also have a scepter.

A throne is a symbol of power, serving as the seat of a ruler.

A scepter is a staff or rod carried by a ruler as a symbol of sovereignty.

Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

This quote was taken from the Psalmist, who prophesied many generations earlier regarding the Messiah.

Psalm 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

Jesus came as a man and kept the law perfectly. Being born of a virgin, He was without sin, just as Adam was without sin before the fall. However, unlike the first Adam, who disobeyed, Jesus obeyed His Father perfectly; thus, He is also referred to as the last Adam.

Hebrews 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore, God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

Jesus loved His relationship with the Father more than He loved having His own way according to the flesh. Thus, even though He was tempted in all the ways we are tempted, He never sinned.

Hebrews 2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

In other words, Jesus understands us better than we understand ourselves, and He has compassion for us. The way that Jesus rules His kingdom is by righteousness. In other words, Jesus rules His kingdom through relationship.

Jesus remained faithful to the Father and was obedient, even to the point of death on a cross, where He paid in full for our sins, past, present, and future. As one who would become King, He placed a high value on us and the idea of having a relationship with us. He desired to go through what we go through to identify with us and then make a way for us.

There is a warmth to His rule and reign, not a coldness of separation and abuse. It would be beneficial for us all to recall what the Psalmist wrote.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Jesus rules and reigns not as an abusive King, but rather as a gracious and loving King who enjoys knowing and being in relationship with those who are in His kingdom. More than that, He also desires that we be in relationship with His Father with the same warmth of affection, compassion, and grace. Let's give Him the praise He is due because Christ reigns!

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Minister Of What?

2Corinthians 3:4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For, until this day, the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.

The goal of New Covenant preaching is to bring those listening out from under the veil that exists until one is brought by grace through faith to their position in Christ.

Everything the New Covenant has to offer is received by faith and acted in faith. The beauty of that reality is that all the promises of God are now yes and amen, in Christ.

When one changes their position by coming to Christ and begins to realize their position in Christ, identifying with being His in the way the Scriptures truly teach it, they walk in a glory unparalleled by any other glory. Not even the glory that filled the temple in Solomon's time can compare with the ever-increasing glory of the New Covenant.

This incredible New Covenant glory is not received and activated by our many prayers and sacrificial works. It is ours for the experiencing, the more we understand and believe the truth about being in Christ.

Being a minister of the letter brings death to others. It places the focus on us and what we do to gain, thereby distracting our attention from Christ and what He has done to change our position and grant us new life. Life flows only in Christ. The law will never be able to offer life.

The New Covenant is a Spirit covenant in that it alone offers us the promise of the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in us as well as overflow us with power, comfort, joy, and peace. He is the fulfillment of Jesus' promise never to leave us nor forsake us. The law is the ministry of condemnation, exposing the many reasons we deserve judgment and punishment according to a fallen nature. The New Covenant truth reveals how we have been brought near and even hidden with Christ in God. Beloved as precious and dear children, and now able to refer to God as Abba Father.

Once again, here we find Paul as an apostle of Jesus, making it clear that he is not ministering a mixture and calling it the gospel. A clear distinction is made, defining the difference between New Covenant ministry and mixture-based ministry. When it comes to the New Covenant, it is not a both/and approach regarding the covenants; it is an either/or. Being a sufficient minister of the New Covenant is what is most needed in these last days, and it is the kind of ministry God calls forth.

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Dwell

There are various applications for the word 'dwell'. I plan to apply it to our thought life.

What we allow our souls to dwell on matters. One of Jesus' apostles, named John the Beloved, understood this. He wrote the following,

3John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

The word prosper as it is used here means to succeed. It can mean success in business, travel, or achieving a goal. The word prospers shares the same meaning. The word "health" refers to physical and emotional well-being, as well as a state of security.

So what is it that we should allow our souls to dwell on in order to experience this of which John spoke?

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

I love meditating on this passage because it reveals a hidden gem of truth regarding the effect of right dwelling.

First, we should consider the word "Let." This encourages us to allow and give permission. Have you ever considered the idea that any and every thought you have ever dwelled on in your soul had to receive permission from you to do so?

Have you also noticed that your soul has become conditioned over time to welcome some thoughts more readily than others?

This reveals to me that when it comes to what we dwell on in our soul, we can choose to be more intentional if we desire a better condition of our soul. In the case of the passage from Colossians, we can dwell on the word of Christ. Notice it is the word of Christ, not the words of Christ.

The way I understand this is that I am to allow the word concerning Christ to dwell in me richly in all wisdom. I am to allow it to dwell in me to the degree that it begins to produce an outcome. It overflows to the degree that I begin to speak of it to teach and admonish others in the form of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that are an outflow of the grace that has made it's home in my heart and now desires to sing to the Lord in gratitude for all that He has done.

Let me explain it this way: if I am trying to fill a pitcher with water but the pitcher keeps moving around, rather than dwelling in one place, it will be difficult to fill it to the point of overflow. Therefore, the idea of dwelling means staying in one place to get the most out of being there. In this case, it is the word of Christ!

Could we ever exhaust the beauty of the truth concerning Christ and how His obedience has so richly impacted our lives and continues to do so?

Might I encourage you today to take some time to dwell?

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Now

This little three-letter word is very powerful if you think about it.

Ever heard the old saying, "There's no time like the present?"

Now refers to the present moment in time. This moment in time, which we all have at present, is a "Now" moment. What we do with all of our "Now" moments is a big deal.

God is not bound by the boundaries of time, but here on this earth we are, and it is the currency of heaven, so to speak. While God need not worry about time, we must consider it. If we waste the time we possess in the "Now" on trying to do something about the past or thinking only about the future, we lose an opportunity to sow well in our "Now' moments.

We cannot go back and redo something from our past. Nor can we skip ahead to the future. We have no choice but to learn how to live in the "Now" moments of life well.

Where can we start to ensure we're capitalizing on our "Now" opportunity?

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

This verse reveals that Jesus did something meant to invade our "Now" moments continually. He changed our position, our reference point, our starting and staying point for life. We are "Now" in a person, a very real person with very great power, and Who has accomplished something through His obedience to the Father. When we understand our position in Him, it changes our perspective on our "Now" moments.

However, this will not be our experience if we choose to walk according to the flesh rather than according to the Spirit.

The word walk is an interesting one, as it is used here. It means to be occupied with, to live. In other words, if we live from a place of trusting in our own ability rather than trusting in what Christ has done and leaning on His strength, we will not live aware of our "Now" promise and will likely suffer from the maladies of uncertainty, confusion, shame, and, yes, condemnation.

The enemy will be able to have a field day with us in our souls because we are not occupied with the Spirit thinking on things above and not having any confidence in our flesh. This is what happens to us when we allow a mixture of law and grace to visit our souls and occupy our thoughts. We often find ourselves agreeing with a verdict of guilty and then being sentenced to a period of time we think is necessary to pay the penalty for whatever we believe ourselves guilty of.

I call it the anti-freedom. Jesus came to set us free, and He who the Son sets free is free indeed. To get off the roller coaster ride that mixture produces, one needs to acknowledge their weakness in the flesh and revel in the finished work of Christ on their behalf and take charge of the "Now" of their life by getting the gospel right, getting the gospel in, and then getting the gospel out. There is "Now" no condemnation to those who are in Christ! What's in your "Now?"

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Whose Gift Are You Seeking?

When it comes to the New Covenant, there is a significant shift in who we are to receive from.

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

You see, it is very clear here that the law was given through Moses. However, through Jesus, something different was given.

It was not that there was no truth from Moses because we know he introduced the Israelites to the truth of the law.

However, intentionally, the Holy Spirit prompts John to write this passage as he did. He wants us to be very aware of what came to us through Jesus: grace and truth.

It would appear that many still prefer to receive rules, guidelines, and principles from Moses in churches today, thinking that if they just know what they are expected to do, they can deliver. They seem to be ignorant of what it says in,

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

The Holy Spirit never teaches us to take confidence in our flesh, in other words, to be self-confident with regard to what measuring up is required to look like.

We are not called to live a sin-conscious life; we are meant to live a Christ-conscious life. We are now created as new creations to live according to the Spirit, and this is made our reality by the grace and truth Jesus gave to us.

The blood of Jesus ratified the New Covenant, and it is a relationship and Spirit covenant made between God the Father and God the Son that we are born into when, by grace through faith in Jesus, we are born again and then receive the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, according to faith. If, after receiving such a lavish and gracious gift in Christ, it is an insult to then seek after what Moses gave.

Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

I ask again, whose gift are you seeking? I encourage you to seek after that which comes through Jesus Christ.

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The Right Lenses

It was once believed that eyewitness testimony in a court of law was the most powerful form of testimony. But things have since been learned about the reliability of such testimony.

"When a person witnesses an alleged crime, ambient conditions may prevent them from accurately perceiving and remembering what occurred. For instance, if an eyewitness witnesses an incident in poor lighting or from a distance, their recollections are less likely to be reliable. A person’s biases can affect the accuracy of his or her memories, and so can stress factors, such as the presence of a gun during an assault or violent crime."

Just as poor conditions and bias can affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, so too can a wrong context lead to an assumed approach, affecting a believer's understanding of Scripture. For instance, Scripture speaks of a veil that interferes with one's ability to perceive clearly what God has done and is now doing.

2Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded. For, until this day, the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.

This refers to those who are still under the Old Covenant Law. They are still sentimental and nostalgic about what Moses gave.

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

It is true that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is profitable. However, if it is being viewed through a veil of Old Covenant thinking, its profitability is diminished because the takeaway on what it desires to teach us is skewed.

I recommend reading the Old Testament through the lens of the New Covenant, so that one might extract from it the prophetic revelation the Holy Spirit originally placed within it concerning Christ Jesus.

Wearing sunglasses in a poorly lit room at night and claiming it helps one to see more clearly is a delusional perspective. That is why reading the Old Testament and claiming that placing it in its original context to understand it better makes one an expert at interpreting it is akin to wearing sunglasses in a dark room at night. Examining the truth of Scripture through a veil obscures clarity and, consequently, hinders one's understanding. This is why the glasses of the New Covenant are so important; having the veil removed matters. The veil is only removed in Christ!

I seek to read all Scripture through the lens of Christ and His New Covenant. Those are the right lenses. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus once the veil is removed. The law and the prophets fade into the background of history, and we begin to see and hear only Jesus as the Father has desired. Read all of Scripture, but make sure you have the right lenses on when you do.

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Perfected Forever

The title is a terminology that is somewhat foreign to most in this modern throw-away age. When it comes to the reliability of manmade products, we live with the reality that nothing lasts forever, let alone the idea that it is perfect.

I mean, who wouldn't like the perfect car, or the perfect house, or the perfect...

When we think of something as being perfect, it is not only what we've been looking for and longing for with great desire, but it also has longevity, and in that longevity lies reliability and dependability.

The idea of perfection is that of being without mistakes. The idea of forever implies that it will last as long as necessary, or even extend beyond the required time. In other words, it will outlast the expectation it was given.

We find this way of thinking conveyed in the letter to the Hebrews, particularly in the context of the priestly ministries.

Hebrews 7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

Now we know that when all things come to an end and everything is brought to its completion by God, there will no longer be a need for a high priest, for all will be in heaven for all eternity, and there will be no sin or imperfections of the flesh. That is why the word forever used in this passage is a different Greek word than the one used in another passage speaking about being perfected forever. The Greek word used here with regard to the priesthood ministry would imply for as long as is needed—an Age. At the same time, when describing the Son's perfection in general, it means eternal. There are no flaws in the Son, and there will never be. Jesus is absolutely perfect and cannot be improved upon.

So what are we to make of the other passage I referred to?

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

This is speaking to the reach of the sacrifice Jesus made for sin. The word "forever" in this passage was a different Greek word, meaning eternally. Jesus has eternally perfected those who are being sanctified. The language here is very interesting, because on one hand we are complete and already perfected in Christ, and on the other hand we are being sanctified. In other words, we are being set apart in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions of life by God Himself. While in spirit we are perfect, in body, there are times when our representation is out of sync, as we are being trained to think and act differently as a result of becoming increasingly convinced of the truth in our minds.

Perhaps we should consider the passage's context more fully so we can better understand what is happening here.

Hebrews 10:11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Your sin and my sin, past, present, and future, have been paid for by Jesus, who is a better High Priest and Better sacrifice than anything that could be offered up here on this earth. It is why there will never be a need for another offering for sin again. Jesus did it! His work was perfect! It is why Scripture can testify to our perfection in Him. Renewing our minds to the truth of the New Covenant and all that it brings brings us in sync with the victory that is ours in Christ. Do you believe you've been perfected forever?

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Are You Certain?

When I was a child, I thought that "Naptime" was a punishment. I was certain of it. Now, as a grown-up, I think it feels like a small vacation. My, how perspectives can change.

If you stop and think about it, there are likely many things that at one time you felt certain about but have since learned differently and have changed your mind concerning them.

This is also true regarding our thoughts on specific ideas derived from Scripture. While it is fresh and new to us, we are all in and highly committed to our newfound view. The question is, have we thoroughly considered it in the light of the whole of New Covenant truth?

Sometimes we can tend to isolate a particular truth and treat it as a stand-alone idea separate from all other ideas conveyed in the Scriptures. When this happens, the idea can become embellished to the point that its original intended purpose and position in the light of the whole truth can become skewed.

This was Paul's reason for advising Timothy to study to show himself approved by God, a worker who did not need to be ashamed because he was rightly dividing the word of truth from error.

For instance, I have heard some in a particular movement that is popular today declare that there is no such thing as destruction and eternal punishment because Jesus came to save the world due to God's great love. I appreciate how they are zealous about the love of God. I share their enthusiasm about it. It is marvelous for certain. But should my dwelling on it apart from all other Scripture permit me to brashly claim that there will be no eternal punishment or destruction?

I must examine all that is spoken in the New Covenant Scriptures to see if my position on the matter was supported by the original apostles of the church who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I must subject my idea on the matter to what is represented by the Scriptures.

If I hold to an extreme position on the matter of God's love and then, by human reasoning, make deductions and conclusions about it apart from a more thorough examination of the Scriptures, I may be disappointed, troubled, and ashamed when I read passages such as:

2Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I do not wish to speak too quickly and authoritatively without having done my due diligence in making sure my conclusions on the matter are not potentially refuted in another portion of New Covenant Scripture. I am not claiming to be perfect in this area myself. But I am more mindful of it than ever before, and I trust that the Holy Spirit will use that to my advantage for the benefit of those who take an interest in the things I have to say. So I will ask you again, "Are you certain?"

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Your Source Of Trust

People put their trust in many different individuals and things without even realizing it. It just comes naturally to them.

For instance, some people will buy something from Facebook Marketplace based solely on the seller's word. They trust that the individual selling something is being truthful. They even drive out to meet that individual in person to purchase once they decide to buy. They have no way of knowing if they're talking to the real person in the ad or someone pretending to be a decent law-abiding seller of goods. So they have no way of knowing if they are about to be taken advantage of in some way, but they take the risk anyway.

How many see a doctor and put trust in his or her opinion concerning their state of health and what he or she feels they need to take or to do in order to improve it?

I gleaned this little funny from Greg Mohr's book A Merry Heart.

It sounds like a Facebook Marketplace ad, but was actually an ad appearing in a metropolitan newspaper.

"Nice parachute. Never opened. Used once."

That's funny. However, it can also describe the futility of putting one's trust in a poor source. For instance, a believer who comes to know Jesus but then turns back to the law for righteousness, rather than trusting in the righteousness they received by faith in Jesus.

Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

I am not promoting the idea of being as bad as one can be in order to prove God's love for them. That would be as equally absurd as trusting in one's flesh to be good enough to start with.

I am promoting the idea that putting one's trust in their flesh to be good enough is a bad bargain, as the flesh is not a good source to trust, especially as it pertains to the kind of righteousness God accepts.

Failing to settle this matter of source is what leads many down the path of sitting with a daisy, plucking the petals one by one, as they say, "He loves me, He loves me not." Their sense of God's love is akin to riding a roller coaster, and it is based on their performance rather than Christ's performance on their behalf—your source of trust matters.

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Announcment

Starting today (6/17) until next Tuesday (6/24)

I will be out of pocket and unable to send out my usual daily devotionals.

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Looking Unto

I hope the title captured your curiosity. I own and ride a 1997 Police Edition Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle. I truly enjoy it, but I have to employ safe practices to do so. It is a very large and heavy bike.  It is classified as a cruiser, and for some, cruisers can be tricky to handle in tight turns.

The top riding trainer offers the following advice for turning without a problem.  Look where you want to go.  If you want to make a tight right turn, look at where you want to go.  You will not make the turn looking straight ahead or to the left.  To make an effective turn, you need to look at where you want to go.

Another road rule often offered to all who operate motorized vehicles is not to drive distracted. Distracted driving is a serious and dangerous practice that has led to numerous accidents.  Everyone should be looking at where they are going if they wish to get there.  To reach the end of your journey, you must always look in the right direction. There’s a spiritual principle that we can extract from this.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We're being told not to get distracted by things for the sake of temporary pleasure, because it can occupy us in the wrong way and use up our energies on the wrong thing.  We have a destination, a destiny!  To achieve that destiny, we will need endurance and focus.

Jesus is our example of this. He pressed through the most difficult of circumstances and the most severe temptations for distraction, and He endured the cross.  The joy of the promise of destiny was of greater value to Him than the trials and temptations of temporary comfort and convenience. He accomplished His purpose!

We are meant to draw inspiration from Him by looking unto Him and allowing Him to empower and comfort us in our moments of trial and difficulty.  He sent us the Holy Spirit for this very reason.

Jesus made us new creations that the Holy Spirit can inhabit. We now live according to the Spirit, empowered by Him. When we look to Jesus, we see Him as a man relying on the Holy Spirit’s supernatural help, enduring and pressing through every situation. His victory has become our victory. But we will not live in the realization and revelation of this marvelous privilege if we aren't looking unto Jesus!

Looking at ourselves for what we can bring to the moment is not helpful. Looking at others and what they brought to a similar situation might encourage us a little, but it is not the source we need most. If we want to reach where God has called us, we must look to the right place and the right person. I encourage you today to always be mindful of where, what, and who you are “Looking Unto.”

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Fruit Of Righteousness

I recall when I worked for an engineering and testing company; I wore a uniform that represented the company I worked for. I had a hat and shirts with a logo and color scheme, and I drove a vehicle with the company name on it. They wanted everyone to know what company I represented. The company also had a code of ethics to follow on the job because those under their employ were representing the company.

For generations, branding in the form of uniforms and logos on hats and shirts, along with a code of ethics representing the culture of a company or ministry, has been used to clearly indicate that a person wearing and conducting themselves in a certain way was part of the company. No one who is thankful for having a job or position that benefits them with a company or ministry spends their time complaining about it or making it an issue of offense or conflict. It has seemed apparent that those who are grateful for what they have been given are happy to dress the part.

I still remember the commercial for UPS, "What can brown do for you?" To this day, if someone sees a brown work truck or a person wearing a brown uniform, they automatically know it is a UPS vehicle or employee.

We could say that such behavior is a form of bearing the fruit of the company or ministry.

Jesus said something very important and wise.

Luke 6:44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

We live our lives according to who we truly are. I am a child of God, and therefore, I tend to conduct myself as such in all situations. When I came to Jesus in response to the Father's drawing and the Holy Spirit's conviction of my need for Him, I became a new creation, and it changed me at the core of my being.

Righteousness moved into me and replaced the unrighteousness that once ruled my life entirely. I discovered new desires and ways of seeing life, and out of that change in motivations and desires, I made different choices than I would have made before I came to know Jesus. Paul was not praying for the Philippians in ignorance when he prayed,

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Jesus is not ineffective in the work of transformation in a believer's life. When we live thankful lives, aware of His goodness and grace, we cannot help but bear the fruits of righteousness. In other words, we live out what we are within. This is why knowing who we are and whose we are is so important. It is why it says in,

Romans 6:13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

We were created in Christ to bear the fruits of righteousness by means of the resurrection life and power He gives us.

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Put Off And Put On

In matters of grace, it is most important that our trust be in the finished work of Christ and our confidence in the righteousness He has provided. That cannot be challenged as though it is somehow fragile and must be bolstered by our own efforts. These truths are more than made clear in the New Testament letters. That is why I emphasize the power of grace and remind believers of the love and righteousness of God they have received in Christ.

Equally true is the fact that a changed life is, in fact, just that - a changed life. I no longer live as I did before, only in pursuit of what pleases me in my flesh. This was deeply understood by the great apostle of grace, named Paul. In speaking to the Ephesians, he stated the following.

(NLT) Ephesians 4:17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

As new creations in Christ, we have been given a spiritual DNA that is distinctly different from what we were before we came to know Jesus. Sometimes we need to be reminded of this supernatural dynamic that took place within us, so that we do not return to our old ways of living before we came to know Jesus. Coming to Jesus taught us things about who He is and what He is like, and exposed the folly and futility in the way we lived prior to coming to know Him. Our lives were empty before we came to know Him, and now they are filled with true life, love, and hope because of Him, making us brand new. He made us something we weren't before, something that never existed prior to coming to Him.

(NLT) Ephesians 4:20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.

I appreciate how Paul doesn't shy away from discussing our conduct while on this earth. But I appreciate even more how he always places such discussion on the foundation of who we are in Christ and what we have received from Him. In our fallen state, prior to Jesus, we were unable to choose good things out of sheer joy; we had to either choose them out of fear of being cursed or fail to choose them altogether due to lust for pleasure. In Christ, we now have the power to choose things out of sheer joy and appreciation for Christ and them. We can now see the beauty in them. How is that possible? We have a new nature created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.

If the behavior I am choosing is out of step with who my Father is and who Christ is, then it is out of step with who I am now that I am in Christ. It truly is that simple. If I am letting the Holy Spirit renew my thoughts and attitudes, I will find myself desiring to set aside things that, before coming to Him, had deceived me into thinking they could bring me fulfillment, joy, and prosperity of soul. My heart and my eyes have been opened to the goodness of God revealed in His righteousness given to me and the new life I have received in Jesus. When I am in the light as He is in the light, I discover that I see things for what they truly are, and I begin to desire to put away the unprofitable things. I take off the old clothing that I once wore and put on the new garments He has given me.

I do not dress in what He has given me to earn His love, affections, attention, or to merit His promises. I dress in what He has given me because I am proud to be known as His, by looking like one who belongs to Him, and I appreciate the beauty of His wardrobe on me.

I have come to realize that His wardrobe for me is my best look, so I put off the old look and put on the new one, which is more accurate to who I am now in Christ Jesus, which is truly righteous and holy.

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A New Creation

In the Apostle Paul's strongest letter, written to defend the gospel he preached, he concluded it with the following statement.

Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. 11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Being doers of good is not being legalistic or works-motivated.  It is not anti-grace to do good toward others, especially the household of faith. After all, we are instructed in other places in the New Testament Scriptures as follows.

Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

James 4:17   Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

God forbid that we should ever think that doing good from a place of being new in Christ and confident of being made righteous through Him by faith is somehow an anti-grace or anti gospel behavior.

In verse 11, we find that if Paul were texting in modern times, the advice we see here in Galatians would likely be expressed in all caps and ended with an exclamation point.

The problem with the men who came to Galatia to insist that the believers be circumcised had to do with moving the Galatians to reposition their trust and confidence in the flesh according to the law, as opposed to having been made a new creation in Christ. Thus, Paul exposes their hypocrisy very clearly.

Paul says they stand for circumcision to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. He then goes on to say that those promoting such things don't themselves keep the law. Their reason for promoting obedience to the law and having a show in the flesh according to it is so they might feel better about themselves. There's an old saying, "misery loves company." It appears that this is the primary motivation of these mixture preachers that Paul is exposing.

This leads Paul to his strong conclusion on this matter.  He says, "God forbid" that he boast in anything other than the cross of Jesus. It is by means of the cross that Paul died to the world, and by the same means, we also die to this world. It is when we are swallowed up in the story of Jesus on our behalf that we find ourselves changed and truly set free. It is in this identity as a new creation that we find ourselves living a totally different life than the one we had before we came to know Christ. Thus, only being a new creation brings us true victory over sin and this world.

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A True Testimony

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

This testimony describes the condition we were in before Christ and the condition we are in after coming to Him.

We were once dead in our trespasses and sins. But Jesus made us alive. We've been born again and given eternal life in Jesus and abundant life at that.

While we were in our trespasses and sins, we walked according to the course (pattern) of this world. That simply means we lived life the same way others outside of Jesus did. We were no different than those who do not know God in how we made our plans and decisions, and what we took delight in.

We were influenced by the prince of the power of the air, just as those who are still lost and without Christ are before we were born again. Those without Christ are described here as sons of disobedience who have the wrong spirit at work in them. We were also once in company with them and given to many of the same motivations and practices in life. We fulfilled the desires of our flesh and answered to the lust of the flesh as they still do today.

When we were without Christ, we were as they are now, children of wrath. But we were rescued from that position. Why and how were we rescued?

God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, made us alive together with Christ. We did not go on the hunt for God and initiate this rescue we have experienced. God made Himself known to us; He drew us to Christ by the working of His mighty power, and then Christ gave us His life by grace through faith.

Now God is no longer angry with us; in fact, we are seated together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Why? So that in the ages to come, God can show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. God wants to demonstrate His grace by being kind to us through Christ.  That is why this amazing blessing is not of us; it is not based on anything we did to merit it.

God created us anew in Christ with a purpose! That, with new motivation and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we would walk in the good works He has prepared for us beforehand. This is the testimony of all true believers in Christ Jesus.

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His Last Letter

The great apostle Paul wrote many letters to churches and is credited with contributing most of the New Testament.

His final letter, written just prior to his death, probably around 64 or 65 AD, while in prison for the second time in Rome, comes to us in the form of 2 Timothy, where he clarifies Timothy's calling and the importance of defending the gospel and being loyal to the faith.

I want to highlight something Paul wrote that I find to be profound concerning his gospel.

2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

I am especially drawn to verse 9 of these passages.  "God saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ before time began."

They say the most honest and revealing important words a man will ever speak are those he speaks prior to his death. He has lived his life, and as a result, he has been able to deduce what is most important to him. He is thus able to speak with gravity concerning the things most valuable to him.

It is worth noting that, in sharing his heart with Timothy just prior to his death, Paul remains focused on the message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He continues to speak out against the "works-based" gospels, declaring them not to be the gospel.

He affirms his view of the gospel as authoritative on the basis of it being God's intention in Christ Jesus from before time. In other words, this gospel that Paul preached, which was not works-based but rather grace-based, was the original gospel from before the dawn of time.

This particular gospel was the reason for all of Paul's sufferings. Mosaic Law zealots went out of their way to follow him around and create problems for him, and eventually found a way to have him imprisoned due to the gospel Paul preached that did not promote the law of Moses. Paul remained loyal in his heart to his fellow countrymen, the Jews, and loved them despite being persecuted by some of them. He loved them to the point of being willing to be put away if it would bring them to faith in Christ Jesus. In his heart, he longed for their salvation by means of accepting Jesus Christ as their Messiah, so long spoken of by the prophets and through the law of Moses.

I am encouraged when I see the consistency of this beloved apostle of the faith and his unwavering commitment, all the way up to his death, regarding the purity and importance of the gospel. I hope that you, too, will be inspired by the importance and power of keeping the gospel pure and simple, as Paul did. I pray this powerful man of God's last words will land powerfully on your heart with regard to the privilege of the gospel we possess.

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Settle The Matter

When it comes to having clarity and being free from confusion, it is essential to ensure that no contradicting information, posing as the truth, corrupts the genuine gospel message.

I've been amazed at how easily many will fight hard for a pet doctrine and yet ignore it when the gospel itself comes under attack by the leaven of performance or legalistic law-based thinking.

At the core of the true gospel is the matter of righteousness. Knowing whose righteousness you possess and why that fact matters can be life-altering. Allowing righteousness to come under fire by the leaven of an alternative argument to what the true gospel teaches us concerning this very important matter can lead to deep insecurity, chasing down methods to find security, and being open to practices that can even have demonic motivations intended to bewitch you and lead you down a wrong path.

Righteousness is a much bigger issue than some think it is. Remember, one of the items of our spiritual armor is the breastplate of righteousness.  Why is righteousness the breastplate? Because a breastplate protects the heart. Paul, in writing to the Galatians and addressing this matter of a little leaven coming in to corrupt the thinking of the Galatians regarding the gospel, says the following.

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. 7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

Notice how he uses the terminology, "Who hindered you from obeying the truth?" He uses this in regard to this matter of the gospel and what it has to say regarding righteousness. Righteousness is at the heart of our relationship with God. Without it, there can be no intimacy, no closeness, no sense of acceptance, no awareness of presence. When we allow teachings to come in and question the kind of righteousness we have received in Christ and the authority of that righteousness based on whose it is, we cannot help but struggle in the are of our ability to sense His presence and be aware of how He is always with us no matter what.

You see, if we allow the source, quality, and stability of righteousness to be challenged by someone who thinks the law is still the means of obtaining or even maintaining righteousness, we inadvertently testify that Jesus died for no real reason. We may not intend to say such a thing, but in essence, it is what we are testifying to.

Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Jesus died to give us a righteousness that is not our own, cannot be merited, and can only be received by faith. It is the highest form of righteousness there is. It is God's righteousness, and it is ours by grace through faith in Jesus. This righteousness is manifested and testified to by the very experience of new life.

2Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We became righteous when we came to Christ in faith. We are now possessors of the righteousness of God. We did not earn it; we do not work to keep it. It is a matter of fact that we are now it! If anyone fails to settle this matter, they will struggle intermittently with insecurities that lead them to be open to various methods and gimmicks for achieving freedom and feeling better about themselves. Do not let anyone bewitch you with the notion that you are less than righteous now that you are in Christ. Settle the matter.

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No Longer Cursed

It is amazing how easily some can be convinced they are under a curse of some sort. Some even believe in generational curses, which is not a biblical concept. That idea was declared no longer valid by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel, even though it was still under the Old Covenant.

Jeremiah 31:29 In those days they shall say no more: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ 30 But everyone shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Ezekiel 18:1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2 “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

Some believe in curses because they are likely unaware of what Scripture actually says concerning such things. There is still one curse many are under, though. Were you aware that the surest way to be under a curse is to be under the law?

Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The curse of the law was separation and death due to violation. The law was not of faith, and it relied on the strength of man's fleshly resolve, which proved ineffective. Paul clearly understood this.

Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

When we come to Christ in faith, we come under the law of the Spirit, not the law of Moses. The law of the Spirit affirms us, empowers us, and delivers us. We are now in Christ and accredited with His obedience as a result. We've been made righteous with God's own righteousness in Christ.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Condemnation, shame, and continual guilt are the fruit of being under the wrong law. The fear of being cursed is the fruit of being under the wrong law. The wrong law now to be under is the Law of Moses, with all its commands and ordinances. It has no power to save; it only brings death and separation.

Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

The New Covenant is a blood and Spirit Covenant based on the finished work of Christ and our faith in Him alone. Coming to Him in faith removes us from being cursed by the law. In Him, you are no longer cursed. This is why true freedom is found only in Christ, and that is why the gospel is so important.

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God’s Love Demonstrated

The greatest expression of the love of God came to us at our most unworthy state of being.  It came to us when we stood in the place of being alienated from God, enemies to God, and sinners separated from God.

While we were without strength, devoid of life, living in darkness, and not even inclined to look for God, Christ died for us.

Jesus did not die because we were able to get our act together to a certain level, making it easier for God to love us, as though His love were so weak that it could not be offered apart from our effort to earn it.

God is love, and expressing that love is not a difficult thing for Him. Christ is the evidence of this truth.

Romans 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

God did not just say that He loved us. God demonstrated His love for us by sending His beloved Son to the cross on our behalf.

Jesus' blood forever removed our sins. We are fully justified. We were not partially justified and put in a position of having to work to finalize it. The blood of Christ secured our justification.

We are saved from wrath through Jesus Christ. God is no longer angry with us now that we are in Christ. The wrath against sin cannot touch us now that we have been set free from sin by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. We are hidden from wrath by being placed in Christ.

We were not and are not reconciled to God through anything that we do. We were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus, and now that we are reconciled, we will no doubt be saved by Jesus' life.

Only by believing and taking God at His word concerning this are we empowered to rightly rejoice over our being reconciled. Sadly, many professing believers live their lives feeling less than reconciled to God. This is why the right gospel must be preached in the churches.

I want the gospel preached to my heart and soul over and over so that the seed of that word is buried deep in the soil of my heart and springs forth bearing an abundance of fruit. I know that God loves me and that He is not angry with me. I know He cares for me and will be faithful to me even during times when I am faithless. This revelation has a keeping anointing on it. It is anointed to motivate, empower, encourage, and strengthen any believer who will venture into it.

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Why The Spirit Was On Jesus

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

In these verses of Isaiah's Messianic prophecy, we discover the motivation and outcome of Jesus' ministry. We discover why Jesus was so anointed and what that anointing came to establish.

His mission involved bringing into existence specific things,

1. Proclamation of Good News.

2. Binding up the brokenhearted.

3. Proclaim freedom to captives.

4. Release prisoners from darkness.

5. Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

6. Proclaim the day of vengeance of our God.

7. To comfort all who mourn.

8. Provide for those who grieve.

9. Bestow crowns of beauty instead of ashes

10. Give the oil of joy instead of despair.

The number 10 represents the Holy Spirit, so I think it is no coincidence that these ten specific goals describe the ministry purpose of Jesus.

What is the intended outcome of these ten objectives of His ministry?

That we might be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.

I think it is no coincidence that number 6 involves the vengeance of our God, and the number six is the number of man.

The vengeance this speaks of is not judgment on mankind. It is the judgment of God against the enemy, death, and the grave, and the source that gives them their power, which is sin. Christ overcame all of it for our sakes that we might enter into His story as redeemed, reconciled, fully righteous children of God. I know this issue of vengeance is of that sort because of the promised comfort that follows. It is a comfort to know that the power of the enemy has been stripped from Him and the source of His power has been judged because we have been declared righteous with the very righteousness of God in Christ.  It is why the next portion of Isaiah should light a fire of rejoicing and praise in us.

Isaiah 61:10 I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Everything about the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus was positive towards us. Everything He came to offer is glorious, beneficial, and uplifting. His ministry purpose was not to point out our faults and failures. He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He is the reason we are a blessed people on this earth!

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