Do We Need to Balance Grace with Law?

What would your life be like if you decided you were going to live totally by grace instead of the 10 Commandments and religious rules?  Would you feel free, or would you feel afraid?  Today, some fear that teaching people to live exclusively by grace will lead Christians to increased sinning. There are phrases which have been created to describe their beliefs about this kind of teaching. Here are a few: license to sin, greasy grace, and hyper grace.  These fears almost always lead to one conclusion: Christians need some law to balance grace.

Here is how it is sometimes couched.  "God's grace gives us the power to obey the 10 Commandments."  I once believed this and taught it.  I dedicated myself for over 10 years to calling upon God's grace to give me the strength and power to obey the Big 10.  I began this with high hopes and excitement.  Five years later I was filled with pride and self-righteousness. It ended in a fog of depression and finally giving up on it all.  I told my wife one night at the end of this part of my journey, "If this is all there is to being a Christian, it doesn't work, and I can't do this any longer."

God gave the Law for some very specific purposes: 1. To show people their sins. "Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20 b). 2. To make people sin more. "The Law came in so that transgression might increase" (Romans 5:20 a).3. To minister death and condemnation.  "But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?  For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory" (2 Corinthians 3:7-9).4. To prepare every person who hears the Law to embrace Jesus Christ as their Savior.  "Let me put it another way. The Law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith." (Galatians 3:24).

The moment a person places their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, any allegiance to the Law abruptly stops because we have "Somebody" better. "And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the Law as our guardian" (Galatians 5:25). Why? We have Jesus in us.  He is not rule based at all but completely relationship based. Once our focus is on Him, we stop performing the rules for God and depend on Jesus to live a life of love through us. And what is amazing is that when we focus on Jesus, we fulfill the Law without even thinking about it! "Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God's Law" (Romans 13:10).

We also have the Law written on our hearts and minds according to Hebrews 10:16."This is the new covenant I will make with My people on that day, says the Lord: I will put My Laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." This is a reference to our identity in Christ as holy and righteous sons and daughters of God.  The deepest part of who we are wants to live a life consistent with who we are.

We don't need the Law to balance the life-giving power of living by grace.  We have Jesus, Mr. Grace Himself, in us so we can enjoy His love, love Him back and rely on Him to live through our new creation identity.

That night as I laid in that dark room full of despair, my DAD spoke to me, letting me know that He not only loved me but accepted me even if the church I was starting failed.   Yet, when God first revealed the love and life of Christ to me, I still did not understand that grace had freed me from the Law.  Little by little, my mind was renewed to where I saw that it can't be both.

How about you?  Are you ready to give up on Law-based living plus grace-based living?  That combination still equals trying harder.  If so, you can begin to simply trust that living by pure grace alone is enough.  It's a choice I urge you to make today.  It may be scary at first, but as you experience more and more freedom to live like you've always wanted deep down inside as a Christ-follower, you will be glad you did!

Believe it! It's the Gospel.


Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2016 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!

Are You a Minister of the Old or New Covenant?

For most of the first 10 years I was a pastor, I was a mixed up minister who mixed up a lot of Christians by preaching a mixture of the Old Covenant (OC) and New Covenant (NC).  By doing this, I unwittingly watered down both the purpose of the (OC) and the power of the (NC).  

It was my own preaching like this that eventually brought me to brokenness.  That would be a great title for a book, wouldn’t it?  “Pastor’s Own Preaching Breaks Him”!  In that brokenness, God began to give me understanding about the liberating difference in the two Covenants.   I didn’t know at the time that this was not only going to free me but many others in the years to come.

Let’s look at according to 2 Corinthians 3:5-11 and then check ourselves to which one we are telling people.

5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a 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, in letters engraved on stones, came [c]with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

The ministry of the (OC) is a ministry of death.  The purpose of the (OC) or law is to show an unbeliever how sinful they are.  They are sinful because their old nature is spiritually dead.  See Romans 3:19-20; Romans 5:20; Galatians 5:23; Ephesians 2:1-3

The ministry of the (NC) is a ministry of the Spirit. The law cannot give life but the gift of the Holy Spirit causes a person to come alive spiritually under the (NC).  Forgiveness is great but dead people need life!  Galatians 3:21; Romans 8:2

The ministry of the (OC) is a ministry of condemnation.   The ministry of the (OC) is to reveal to an unbeliever that because of their sins, they are condemned and therefore unacceptable to God.  Romans 3:19-20; 5:20; Galatians 3:21

The ministry of the (NC) is a ministry of righteousness.  The ministry of the (NC) reveals to Christians that they are 100% acceptable to God because they are the righteousness of God in Christ. Romans 5:1, 17, 19; 2 Corinthians 5:21

The ministry of the (OC) has come to an end.  Once a person comes to faith in Christ, their relationship with the (OC), meaning the law, ends and is replaced by the (NC).  Romans 7:1-7; Galatians 3:19, 25

The ministry of the (NC) is permanent.  As Christians, our identity in Christ and Christ in us has permanently replaced the (OC).  Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 10:16-17

If you are discovering that you are like I once was, in that you mix together the two Covenants, let go of the Old Covenant unless you are talking to an unbeliever.  It’s not for Christians!  Embrace and live in the freedom of being a New Covenant person!  Minister to people this awesome New Covenant which God has provided for us in Christ!

Believe it!  It’s the Gospel!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding

How the New Covenant Trumps the Old Covenant

Many years ago, when on the staff of a large church, I was caught off guard one day in the work room by the Church Receptionist.  She quizzed me about my relationship with Ellen Taylor, a well-known girl in the church.  We were secretly dating because I was the Youth Minister. So, we were trying to keep it under wraps.  Though I tried to to play it off, the Receptionist realized something was up because she said, "You talk about her differently than anyone else".

I'm so glad God forgave me for lying that day because though  I denied we were dating, I was caught!  Yet, my entire demeanor changed when I spoke of her.  I just could not hide the love and joy I felt when I talked about Ellen Taylor, compared to other people.  My face lit up every time I spoke about her. 

When you and I talk about Jesus and the New Covenant, people may very well notice that we light up too.  Why? Because through The New Covenant, He transforms us so much more than the Old Covenant every could!  I think you will appreciate more of what I mean as we compare the two. 

    

Old Covenant  (Also referred to as the  Mosaic or Law Covenant)	New Covenant  (Also referred to as the  Grace Covenant)
God related to Israel as their King , Father and Husband  1 Samuel 8:7; Deuteronomy 32:6, Jeremiah 31:31-32 Binding Vows:  God promised that He would do His part as long as Israel did their part. Deuteronomy 28	God relates to you as your King, Father and Husband.  1Timothy 1:17; Romans 8:15; Ephesians 5: 21-22  Binding Vows:  God has promised that He would do His part and your part.  He continues to do your  part as you rely on Jesus to live in and through you. Jeremiah 31:31-34, Galatians 2:20
Responsibilities:  The 10 Commandments were written by God on tablets of stone.  Exodus 22	Responsibilities:  God wrote His law on your heart. This gave you your identity in Christ.  Hebrews 10:16
Blessings:    ...Were given by God based  on one condition - their obedience.  Deuteronomy 28 (1/5 of the chapter is blessings; 4/5 is curses.)   ...God was in the Tabernacle  and later the Temple.  Each Jew  could get close to God only once  a year, Yom Kippur, when he or  she was represented by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies.  Exodus 40:34-35; Leviticus 16 ...God lived near Israel in the  Holy of Holies.  Leviticus 16:2 ...God gave temporary  forgiveness based on their  most recent sacrifice.  Leviticus	Blessings:  ...God blessed you with all your blessings in Christ the moment you believed.  The only condition is faith in Christ.  Ephesians 1:3, 2:7-8  (No curses under The New Covenant!) ...God is in you and you can't get any closer to God than that!  Galatians 2:20 ...God lives very much at home in your spirit, the new Holy of Holies.  1Corinthians 6:17 and 19.  ...God gave you eternal forgiveness for your past, present and future sins, based on Jesus' sacrifice.  Colossians 2:13
The Cutting of the Covenant: The sacrificial system was the continuous  "cutting of the covenant".  It was also a constant reminder of their sins. Hebrews 9:18-20	The Cutting of the Covenant:   This covenant was "cut" by the death of Jesus Christ that you "walked into" with God.  Romans 6:3-6; Galatians 2:20
The Covenant Meal:  The Passover Exodus 12	The Covenant Meal:  The Lord's Supper. (Some know it as Communion or the Eucharist). Matthew 26:27
The Sign of the Covenant:  Circumcision for men only (the ladies said,"Hallelujah") which covered their  entire family. Leviticus 12:2-3	The Sign of the Covenant:  Baptism for each individual including men as well as women.  Acts 10

  

Are you beginning to understand how much better the New Covenant is compared to the Old Covenant?  "Thank you God for Your New Covenant that You have so richly provided for us in Christ!  What good news!"  

"But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises."  Hebrew 6:6 NIV

    

Believe it!  It's the Gospel!

Live free in Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding

Crucified - Dead to Mr. Law

Which of these two different types of marriage would you like to be in?  (Men – imagine you are the bride here.)

Marriage to Mr. Law – Every morning you wake up he says to you, “There are some things you have to do today.  I will follow you around all day to remind you of what you must do.  If you make a mistake, I will point it out to you in detail.  Oh, and by the way, I will not help you in any way.  You are on your own.  And don’t forget, my only reason for being in this marriage is to tell you what to do and to point out when you blow it!”

Marriage to Mr. Grace - Every morning you wake up he says to you, “I love you!  I can’t wait to spend the day together.  Let’s go get some coffee and spend some time talking.”  You share your hearts with each other and you tell him how wonderful he is and he tells you how wonderful you are.  He also says, “There are some things I want you to do today but I don’t want you to feel stressed by them, because I am going to go with you to help you.  Remember, you and I are “one”, so I will do all of these things through you, if you will depend on me.  When you make a mistake, please don’t run and hide from me.  Instead, run to me and tell me what you did. I so want you to share with me!   Be mindful that I completely accept you, even with your mistakes and struggles.  And no matter what, don’t forget I love you!”

For all Christ-followers, aren’t you glad we are in the marriage to Mr. Grace, meaning Jesus!  We died to our marriage to Mr. Law and are now married (united) to Jesus.  Romans 7:4, “So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”

Yet many of us live as though we are under the law, i.e. are married to Mr. Law.  Let’s all stop committing spiritual adultery and listen only to Jesus, the lover of our souls!  Marriage to Jesus is so much more enjoyable! 

Live Free In Christ, Mark Maulding, President and Founder www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding  (But please share it with others!)

Free to Obey By Grace

    I remember in my years as a legalistic Christian how important obedience to God was to me.  In my mind, it was THE issue upon which all Christianity stood.   My entire relationship with God was centered on obedience.  When I read the Bible, I was only looking for new ways to obey God where I wasn't obeying him.  This belief that obedience was THE issue in Christianity led me into such burnout that when I read the Bible, it gave me a stomach ache.  I don't think reading the Bible is supposed to do that! 

   I am not diminishing obedience to God in any way.  1 Samuel 15:22b says "To obey is better than sacrifice".  So, obedience is extremely important but it is not THE issue in Christianity.  THE issue in Christianity is Jesus Christ and to take it further, it is Jesus Christ in us, as Paul shares in Colossians1:27. 

   The Apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ."  Knowing Jesus Christ in us through intimacy with Him is THE main thing.  Again Paul said in Philippians 3:10, "That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."

  Knowing Christ and making Him known is the essence of life.  Obedience to God is the fruit of knowing Christ and making Him known. 

  Anytime we are told in Scripture to obey God, we can be sure of a few things.  First, obedience to God is an expression of our love for Him.  Second, obedience to God is not a checklist but an expression of our identity in Christ.  Third, obedience to God is completely dependent on our dependence on Christ in us.  Forth, obedience to God glorifies our Father when done by grace!

..Here is an example.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 29:18-20 to go into all the world and make disciples.  This is known as known as The Great Commission.  So it's not optional but it's also not to be done from legalism.   I remember that for many years, I shared the Gospel with those who did not know Christ because I was motivated by guilt.   As I came to understand the completeness of the Gospel, that all changed.  Now as I abide in Christ, I watch for opportunities the Holy Spirit opens for me to share.  It's so much more exciting to live this way. 

  This happened the very day I wrote this.  Ellen  and I were away speaking at Montreat College and were relaxing in town for a couple of hours.  When we visited a running store, God showed up big time!  I asked the owner how business was and he shared with us that it had been good until recently when his father died.  Ellen asked him if he had any kind of faith background.  As a result, we thought we might get to share the Gospel with him and we were ready.  It turned out that he was already a believer and God had sent us to pray for him and comfort him.  What a great way to live life!

   The complete Gospel frees us to obey God in such a way that we experience the reality of what Jesus says in Matthew 11:29-30, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

   Let's obey our God as we live out of our freedom in Christ.  We may not always feel like obeying but we can.  It's not a heavy burden but a light one because we are yoked with Christ.  We are in Him and He is in us.  Hallelujah for obedience by grace!

Live Free In Christ, Mark Maulding, 
President and Founder 
www.GraceLifeInternational.com 

 All Content Copyright © 2013 Mark Maulding

Pornography Problem? There's An App for That! (Part 2)

What is God's "App" for overcoming pornography?  It is Jesus Christ and the Cross!  That is why understanding what happened "to" you at the Cross is incredibly important. The gospel is more than Jesus died for you sins. It also means you were also crucified with Him!  (Galatians 2:20 and Romans  6:6)   The "you" whose bent was toward sinning, died and was buried in the grave.  "You" no longer exist.  When Jesus rose from the grave, He recreated "you" as an entirely different person.  Do you understand what this means?  Your new identity in Christ no longer allows  your sins to define you!  Your Abba ("Papa") defines you.  So, the new "you" in Christ, is not a lustful person.  "You" are a righteous child of God regardless of how many times you have lusted.


So, where do you start?


First, stop rationalizing it.  Call it what it is.  It is sin.  And, if you are viewing it with any type of frequency, even once a month, you need to admit to yourself that you are addicted.  Stop denying you have a problem.  Stop deceiving youself by thinking, "I am not addicted.  I can stop any time I want."  That thinking is demonically inspired!


Next, go to your Heavenly Father and confess your sin of lust through pornography.  The wonderful news is that you can run to Him with your sin because He loves you and is not mad.  And, best of all, Jesus already died for those sins.  God is not surprised by your sin of lust, but He wants you to live free from it.  As you confess this to our Papa, you never have to wonder if God has forgiven you because of Jesus' death on the Cross. So, either ask Him to forgive you or thank Him for forgiving you.  (Heb. 8:12)


When tempted to look at porn, tell yourself the gospel truth.  "I am not a lustful person.  I choose to agree with God, regardless of my feelings, that I am a righteous child of God!"  Also, at the Cross, "you" died to the Law, meaning that the 10 Commandments nor any other "law" provides power to overcome any temptation.  So, when tempted, take yourself out from under the Law in your mind by saying, "I am not under the Law about lusting.  Because I am under grace, if I lust and look at pornography, God will still love and accept me."  Isn't this true?  And most of all, you have Jesus in you to live through you to meet the deepest needs of your heart and to conquer each temptation you face.  Daily, and when tempted, ask Jesus to fill you with His love for you and to live His life through you.  So, upon agreeing with God that you are not a lustful person,   you may find that you also need to take authority over Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ, and tell the spirits of lust and pornography to leave you and to go where Jesus tells them to go.


Most of all, you need to prepare yourself for your next sexual temptation. Satan is no dummy.  He is going to try to deceive you to reengaging with porn.


You may need to have someone else put a filter which prevents pornographic sites on your computer and phone. Only they will have the password.


Finally ask the Holy Spirit to heal your soul. Pornography warps our perception of people and God's gift of married sex.


How do I know that Jesus is sufficient to overcome the temptation of sexual lust?  It is because about 20 years ago when He gave me understanding about the entire gospel, I was freed from my own sin of habitual lust.  I know He is sufficient for you too!

Need More Help?


If you would like for someone to help you or someone you know with your pornography, our Christian counselors are excellent in helping you overcome this sin.  If you do not live in our area, we may be able to counsel you over the phone or by Skype. Call us at 704-522-9026 or visit our web site for more info on our counseling www.gracelifeinternational.com.

Recommended Reading Winning the Battle Within:  Realistic Steps to Overcoming Sexual Strongholds by Neil T. Anderson


Until next time, remember He loves us!


You may pass this content on to anyone or make copies to use for yourself or others.  However, it may not be published in any form without the written permission of the author.
 All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

Pornography Problem? There's an App for That! (Part 1)

50% of Christian men admit to being addicted to pornography. 20% of Christian women admit to being addicted to pornography. 37% of pastors say they struggle with pornography.

These statistics are heart-breaking more than they are shocking. It's no surprise that the main source of porn viewing is on the Internet.

Sadly, the rise of the wonderful tool of technology has also opened the door for the fall of many into the darkness of pornography. Yet, we cannot blame technology alone for this epidemic addiction. There are other forces at work.

Romans 1:18-32 describes the woeful fate of a nation or culture which rejects God as their Creator. This description is not speaking about Christians but those outside of Christ. Every person is given two evidences that the Creator God is present and desires a relationship with them. In Romans 1:19-21, the first evidence is an inward intuitive knowledge everyone is born with. The second evidence is creation itself.

An eventual result of a nation's ongoing rejection of God as Creator is that He "gives them over" to sexual sin. A nation's rejection of God eventually destroys the family. Why? Without being in relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, men do not lovingly lead their wives and children. Women do not respectfully submit to their husbands. Children rebel against their parents. These dysfunctional families eventually implode and change the entire nation. The result? God's intended design for sex within marriage begins to spill outside of marriage. The USA experienced this social phenomenon in the 60's during the Hippie era. It was called the "free love" movement.

As our culture today continues to spiral downward into darkness, Christians are being sucked into that vortex in the area of pornography.

Why are Christian men and women addicted to pornography? The short answer is that they are attempting to meet God given needs apart from their love relationship with Jesus Christ. More specific answers include these reasons. Spouses may feel angry, disillusioned or unfulfilled in their marriage. Married couples don't make time for frequent sex. People want to feel something other than their emotional pain, such as, stress, guilt, anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, rejection, boredom, etc. People accidentially find Internet pornography and make it a habit. People want something which stimulates them for the purpose of sexual release.

At its core, involvement in the sin of pornography is false intimacy with a fantasy partner. In other words, God made all of us with the need to feel loved, accepted, worth something and secure. Pornography involvement is a human attempt to meet those legitimate needs in illegitimate ways. Yet, the sexual sin of pornography cannot fulfill the deep needs of the human heart.  

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding,

President and Founder GraceLifeInternational.com


You may pass this content on to anyone or make copies to use for yourself or others.  However, it may not be published in any form without the written permission of the author.
 All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding