The Grace Message

How does God view the church today? Does He see us as lazy, falling asleep, and passive? The Lord’s Prayer says one must ask for forgiveness. Is this the way for believers today to continually be more forgiven? Why does the prayer sound so conditional?

How do you listen to the Holy Spirit? What if someone accepted Jesus while they were inebriated? I enjoy writing fantasy books from a Christian perspective. Is that okay?

There’s zero condemnation for you! Romans 8 begins with the amazing reality that you’ll never get what you deserve. Sin deserves death, but you sin every day and never die. You always have eternal life in Jesus, no matter what. Romans 8 contains another stunning truth: “the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” This means you have a real righteousness that involves being alive in Christ. It’s not about imputed righteousness as “heavenly bookkeeping.” You’ve been imparted real righteousness at the core of your being. You’re the righteousness of God! In this message on Romans 8, I celebrate these exciting truths and so much more. In fact, you’ll gain a new perspective on the whole passage – no longer seeing it as merely being about two ways for the Christian to “walk” but instead as being about two kinds of people (unbelievers and believers). And during our exploration of the passage, you’ll discover that you have a new, powerful tendency within you. Enjoy! Discussion Questions for Romans 8:1-17: 1. What does “no condemnation” mean to you personally? 2. What is the law of sin and death? How were you set free from it? 3. How is Romans 8 describing two kinds of people? How is this different from the idea of it describing two kinds of choices? 4. Read verses 8 and 9. Who are “in the flesh”? Can Christians be “in the flesh”? 5. React to this statement in verse 10: “the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” 6. What do you think “you must die” means in verse 13? 7. Read verse 14 and react to this statement: All believers are being led by the Spirit of God. 8. What does it mean to you to be a “fellow heir with Christ”?

How can a believer’s sins not cause a rift between them and God? Should we celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday or Sunday? Or is the Sabbath even important for believers? Can you explain the Trinity? Are believers who have been divorced and remarried truly forgiven?

What is 1 John 3 really saying about being born of God and practicing sin? I struggle with obsessive thinking and wonder if I have committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. What is the difference between the true promises of God and the prosperity gospel?

Why is it important to understand how spirit and soul and body interact? What makes a good church? What should I look for? Where did Jesus go for three days when He died?

What does James really mean about faith and works? What is the flesh? What does it mean to not make a provision for the flesh? What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Should I be worried that I committed that sin?

If we don’t have to ask for forgiveness, then what should we do when we sin? Don’t we break fellowship with God? Doesn’t unconfessed sin create a barrier? What is your perspective on antidepressants? What are your thoughts on how to study the Bible?

Does Jesus offer us guaranteed health or wealth? What if a Christian blasphemes the Holy Spirit? Should visitors or children be allowed to take communion? Why does first Corinthians 11 say to “examine” yourself before taking it?

Here’s the second half of my take on Romans 7. It helps dispel the lie that there’s no real victory on this side of Heaven. It also explains how we are truly free from the clutches of sin. This is such an important message, as it introduces a revolutionary perspective on a central passage in the New Testament. Be encouraged! Discussion Questions for Romans 7:14-25 1. Read verse 14. Why is “sold into bondage to sin” such an important expression in this passage? 2. Read verses 15-16. What is his focus or goal? How does this speak into whether he’s referring to pre- or post-salvation? 3. Read verses 17 and 20. What is the core issue? How is this also revealing to us as believers? 4. Read verse 18. How should we interpret both “nothing good dwells in me” and “the willing is present in me”? 5. Read verse 19. What is the “good” that he wants to do? Why is this important to factor into our view of the passage? 6. Read verse 21. Imagine asking a devout Jewish person three questions: Do you want to do good? Do you always end up doing good? If not, why not? Now, how do you think they would answer those questions? And how does this help us interpret the passage? 7. Read verses 22-23. What is the specific goal of this person? What do they want to accomplish? Do they accomplish it? If not, why not? What does this say about the body (housing sin) vs. willpower for the unbeliever? 8. Read verse 24. What experience does this refer to? How does understanding this help? 9. How does verse 25 return to summarize the problem (before salvation) and the true origin of the conflict?