living under law

What is the Law in the Bible?

February 2, 2022 // 14 Comments

Pop question: When Jesus said, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?” what law was he referring to? Was he referring to the Law of Moses or some other law? If you answered the Law of Moses, you are mistaken. Go to the back of the class, and see me after school. Jesus was not quoting [...]

How Does Faith Establish the Law? (Romans 3:31)

August 31, 2017 // 82 Comments

The Bible makes some interesting comparisons between faith and law: We are justified by FAITH, not by LAW (Rom 3:28, Gal 2:16)Abraham and his heirs are blessed on account of FAITH, not LAW (Rom 4:13-14)You can live by FAITH or LAW (Rom 4:14)No one who relies on the LAW is justified for the righteous live by FAITH [...]

Is Grace a License to be Lazy?

June 15, 2016 // 29 Comments

One of the complaints made against the gospel of grace is that it promotes sin and slothfulness. Those who say such things know little about the grace of God that empowers us to reign in life. Elsewhere I have addressed the misperception that grace is a license to sin. Today I want to look at its evil [...]

Keeping God’s Commands

March 3, 2016 // 131 Comments

The apostle Paul said we are under grace, not law. To live under the law is to insult Christ who died to free us from the curse of the law. So why did Paul write this? Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. (1 Corinthians 7:19) Someone who is confused about [...]

Are you Lukewarm?

July 24, 2015 // 61 Comments

Here’s a favorite question of some preachers: “Are you a lukewarm believer?” You’d better have a good answer because if you’re not sure – “Am I lukewarm?” – Jesus may spew you out of his mouth. What does that mean? He’ll reject you, you apathetic Christian! You may think you’re saved, but if [...]

The Law Written on our Hearts is NOT the Ten Commandments

April 17, 2015 // 135 Comments

“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time,” says the Lord. “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” (Hebrews 10:16) What is this law that God writes on our hearts? “This is obviously a reference to the law of Moses,” says the law-preacher. “The [...]

Jesus and divorce

January 22, 2015 // 115 Comments

In the past year I’ve had a couple of friends go through divorce and each time it has torn our hearts. I won’t go into details, but what has struck me is how some in the church have responded to these divorces. Let’s just say there has been an aroma and it has not been the fragrance of Jesus. Divorce seems [...]

How Does the Holy Spirit Convict us?

September 25, 2014 // 167 Comments

How does the Spirit convict us? “Through the law,” says the mixed-grace preacher. “It is by God’s law that we are convicted. When you sin, the Holy Spirit will remind you of God’s holy commands and show you the way to go.” The mixed-grace preacher says the law shows us the way of life. Yet Paul said [...]

Does the Hypergrace Gospel Promote Lawlessness?

September 9, 2014 // 174 Comments

Yet another article has come out in CharismaNews maligning the hypergrace gospel and those of us who preach it. In it, Daniel Norris worries that preaching grace without the law leads to the sort of lawlessness that Jesus said “would abound in the last days” (Matt. 24:12). The implication is that those [...]

5 Signs of Nose-Punching Preachers

June 10, 2014 // 67 Comments

A recent article in Charisma News warns about the dangers of ear-tickling preachers and their deceptive message. An ear-tickler is someone who tells you what you want to hear. In contrast, a nose-puncher is one who tells you what he wants you to hear, and he does so with the fervor of an Old Testament prophet. A [...]

Who Dares to be a Teacher? (James 3:1)

June 6, 2014 // 49 Comments

Recently I read something that made me sad. It was a Facebook note penned by a noted Bible teacher and it went something like this: “I’m a teacher of the gospel, but you’re probably not a teacher, so best not to pretend you are because you could lead people astray.” This comment wasn’t addressed to [...]

The Root of Disobedience

March 21, 2013 // 78 Comments

Here is your standard sermon on obedience: “Adam disobeyed God and suffered the consequences. Jesus gave us a second chance but God demands total obedience. The devil will do what he can to make you disobey because he knows that ‘God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.’ So do what you’re told [...]