Is “Love your Neighbor” Part of the New Covenant?
If there is one book that highlights the dangers of mixing grace with law it’s Galatians. Which is why I am always surprised when people use Galatians to mix grace with [...]
new covenant
The Old vs the New Covenant
Are you familiar with Biblical covenants? Reading the Bible without understanding covenant is like going to a medicine cabinet when you are ill and swallowing whatever pills [...]
What is the New Covenant?
Imagine going through 12 years of school and never being taught how to read or write. Your teachers taught you maths, music and physical education, but they neglected to [...]
What Does it Mean to Keep His Commandments?
Here’s a verse that can trip you up: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. (1 John 5:3a) What commandments is John talking about? If you have not [...]
What Makes the New Covenant New?
There’s a classic scene in The Simpsons where 8-year-old Lisa is offered a large check. Monty Burns has made a $120 million from an idea that Lisa gave him, and he wants to [...]
The Law Written on our Hearts is NOT the Ten Commandments
“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 [...]
Top 12 Verses on the New Covenant
I have this strange idea that we should preach nothing but the gospel. Two reasons: (1) Jesus told us to and (2) it’s the only thing the church is really good at. Any club [...]
A New Covenant Picture of Repentance
Two classic signs of covenant confusion are: (1) you interpret repentance as turning from sin and (2) you think repenting will get God to forgive you. God does not need your [...]
The Greatest Law Preacher
“Don’t stray too far from the red letters,” is a piece of advice often given to new preachers. It means, stay close to the teachings of Jesus and you can’t go wrong. [...]
Are We Completely Forgiven?
Read the Bible indiscriminately and you’ll get a mixed message. You’ll take on board laws that were never meant for you and you’ll end up confused and lukewarm. [...]
Old vs. new
God doesn’t change; we do
In a recent post I argued that God is not a jealous God, even though he said he was. I am either the world’s greatest heretic, or I am confident that I know who my Father [...]
Is God a jealous God?
“You shall not make for yourself an idol… You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin [...]
It’s a New Day
Happy New Year from Escape to [...]
Will My Name be Blotted out from the Book of Life?
Are you worried that Jesus may blot out your name from the Lamb’s Book of Life? Many Christians are. They are afraid that they might do something that will cause Jesus to [...]
“The Lost Secret of the New Covenant” by Malcolm Smith
About 40 years ago, Malcolm Smith was invited to speak at a church in Oregon. He preached about a God who is irritated and annoyed with lukewarm believers. At the end of his [...]
Son, Servant, or Friend of God?
How do you mainly identify with God? As a (a) servant of God, (b) a friend of God, or (c) a son of God? When a friend posed this question on his Facebook page yesterday, I [...]
Joseph Prince: Preacher of Grace
So the Americans have finally discovered Joseph Prince. A few weeks ago Charisma magazine published an interesting article on the Singaporean preacher entitled “Prince of [...]
The Fear of God in the New Covenant
Jesus died on the cross to reconcile man to God and so that we might live free from the fear of punishment. Yet the phrase “the fear of the Lord” comes up many times in [...]
Incomplete Deeds: The Zombie Church of Sardis (Rev 3:1-6)
UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. What a wonderful thing for a church to [...]
Psalm 51 – The Badness of David versus the Goodness of God
Christians sometimes battle with guilt and condemnation even though God declares them “not guilty” and Christ has given us the gift of “no condemnation” (Rms 8:1). [...]
Top 12 Blessings in the New Covenant
In Christ we can participate in all of the blessings God promised to Abraham (Gal 3:14,29). We also get all of the blessings promised under the law covenant and none of the [...]
How to Read your Bible without Getting Confused
Have you ever been confused by a passage in the Bible that seemed to contradict to something else in the Bible? The entire Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting [...]
“He Qualifies You” by Chad Mansbridge
I picked up this little book on my last trip to Hong Kong and read it in an hour. It was an hour well-spent. In this book Chad Mansbridge, of Bayside Church International, [...]
Escape to Reality 