Many Christians consider the Bible as a book that is their connection to God. This is understandable because people tend to desire in seeking ways to make God more tangible within their life and world. The pages are something we can touch and see. It can easily become something worshiped or considered to be our primary source and destination when it comes to knowing God. But it's all based upon how one interprets through human filters—which can constantly change. The Bible isn't a single book, but a collection of writings authored by many people over a lengthy period of time, and came to us from many thousands of manuscripts which were copied by hand. Whether written before the cross or after, the scripts are designed to point to truth and life which are found and contained within a Person—Jesus Christ. As believers in Christ, we're not called to 'believe in the Bible.' After all, there are millions of very different perspectives, opinions, and ideologies being embraced and debated. We certainly can't believe every version of someone else's truth... because they are all over the map. Our life and destination will not be in trying to unlock the vault to proper interpretation and understanding. Jesus sent a far more superior Guide to help us in our walk of faith as we live in the Spirit. Of course we're thankful to have access to these writings. After all, we've been referring to them on the podcast for more than a couple decades. But compared to the thousands of other religions out there, we have something that goes beyond "the book" and academics ... or theological labels. Becoming aware of the incredible view from above 30,000 feet may help from getting lost in a maze of individual verses. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

A listener shares with us their story of spending decades in several different churches while working at being dedicated and committed to the cause. Over time, they began to struggle with depression, anxiety, guilt and shame. If it seems like there is something wrong with this picture, it's because there is ... and unfortunately, it's all too common. But we have some encouragement for those who feel trapped. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

Most have been subjected to religious behavioral requirements. It may be a standard you set for yourself, or it may have come from church friends or other sources. Maybe even by misunderstandings within Bible verses. If you convince yourself you're doing a 'pretty good' job of keeping up by performing enough to think of yourself as a successful doer, your 'spiritual' and emotional confidence rises. Wander from it and you might start to wonder where you stand with God—and what you need to do to get back on track. The good news of the gospel of grace is that we *can* be confident and at peace ... but it's not based on our obedience or trying to be good enough with what *we* do. It is fully rooted in Jesus, His obedience, His blood, and a redemptive work He completed once, for all. Anything else will have the legal eagles swooping for an opportunity to bring the fish back to their nest. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

Many of the things we've all heard in mixed-covenant church buildings can easily result in leftovers or at least trace elements within our mindsets that we attempt to apply to the message of the gospel of grace. The result becomes a rather murky hodgepodge of inconsistency. It leaves believers in Christ wondering if they they are right with God, resulting in fear, uncertainty ... and pecks away at people who are finding peace to be somewhat elusive in their minds. Of course, most who embrace grace are not intending for this to happen ... but it does ... partly because it may ultimately have similarities to the religious talking points people have been trying to escape. There are many perspectives, angles, Bible teachings, and opinions that can be quite different—even within circles where grace dominates. But it is not unusual to see some of the messages sliding down a slippery slope which gradually manages to put the spotlight back on us and what we do—and how well we're doing it. Am I doing enough? How do I know? Am I out of touch with God compared to others who seem so spiritual? The focus of faith should remain on the finished work of Jesus and God's Spirit who was sent to guide us. Your identity of righteousness is contained in Him. When legalistic venues insist on our need to *surrender everything to God,* it will usually lack specifics on what that looks like. Religion declares we need to put our belief on display for others to see, otherwise, it may indicate something isn't real and genuine. Walking by faith and not by sight is turned completely inside out. God lives in us. He wants to express His life through us. But His fruit should not be considered synonymous with works that are performed in order to get God to respond. His response to you is firmly anchored in a Savior who established a different and much better covenant. No pressure. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

We have received many inquiries from listeners over the years who are in search of answers to questions that may have them confused when it comes to things found in the Bible. This isn't exactly an exclusive club. We all would like greater clarity on many things we may not fully understand. When someone seeks input from us, a pastor, or their favorite grace teacher ... it will sometimes just lead to more questions which will result in seeking more answers—and how they compare to previously received answers from a different source. That's the problem when there are so many different opinions, doctrines and perspectives from people who all declare the Bible as their source for truth. Grace will help us to realize we don't need to know everything or feel that we need an answer to every question. And it can result in depending more on the One who abides within ... who is more than enough to keep us at peace. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

It's good to do good. Works can certainly become an important part of our lives in Christ. But how we are positioned with God is not based on what we do (or don't do). Our eternal redemption and our identity of righteousness is based on what Jesus did for us through a finished work that He fulfilled. Nothing can separate us from that love. The Jewish people under the (now obsolete) Mosaic law were pursuing the master blueprint of good works—but it resulted in bearing fruit for death and the increase of sin. The fruit of works may have looked pretty good to the human eye, but it was plastic, dead fruit. As a new creation living in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit isn't rooted in trying to prove our identity by behavior and works ... and all of those church activities. We can only bear the fruit the Spirit produces through us. It is a place of freedom and peace, and it occurs apart from law and religious obligation. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

1. Moses. Charlton Heston. The Ten Commandments. 603 other commandments. Mount Sinai. The Passover lamb. Many sacrifices. Works. Hearing and doing. Sins temporarily covered. Reminded of sins. 2. Jesus. The Lamb of God. Grace. The gift of salvation and righteousness. Faith. One sacrifice. Easter. The Resurrection. The Holy Spirit. Eternal forgiveness. Sins taken away. Sins remembered no more. The above is a nutshell version relating some headlines to two very different covenants. How is it that the church culture has embraced combining various portions of these covenants that were never meant to be mingled? Perhaps it's because the Bible is often considered "one book," or wrongly assuming the New was meant to be some type of addendum to the Old. Let's take a look at how badly the target has been missed with such a mixture of law and grace. God's grace (apart from law) is the recipe for us to reign in life and teaches us to deny ungodliness ... not advocating for an old or revamped law that was fulfilled and abolished by Jesus. "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

When we discover a revelation of God's grace, Christians who have been inundated with doctrines of doing in order to maintain right standing with God will be confronted with something that may challenge their past mindset. Under a legalistic, self-righteous, mixed-covenant church culture, it was more about 'doing things' in order to please God; to receive blessings, to keep from being punished, or to be noticed by others (all in the name of having a good testimony). We were programmed to think it was up to us and our obedience to remain tethered into fellowship with God. Many came from a mindset where failing to do 'enough of the stuff' might risk how God will react to them. The motivation was based more upon avoiding God becoming angry with them or withholding blessings. While living in the unchangeable grace and perfect love of God at all times, what is our motivation compared to the above? Now that we know blessings and forgiveness are secure and complete in Christ by the gift of His grace, what is the motivation for loving and helping others and doing good things? In short, we'll find it in knowing and believing in God's perfect love and who we *already* are in Him. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

God's grace teaches us so much over time when compared to religious routines and traditions of "doing" that have often missed the core message of the gospel of God's love. We're continuing with the second part of a letter we received from a newer listener to the podcast who is beginning to see the message of grace and recognizing the contrasts with much of what they may have been taught in the corporate church system. They ask about how to overcome past regrets for things said and done ... the feeling of exhaustion from church-related activities ... and wrestling with whether they and their young family should attend church regularly. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

Over the past couple of decades, we've received correspondence from people from around the world. We've been blessed by so many emails and comments. We've also heard stories from some who shared very difficult things they have experienced from church denominations and religious tradition ... and some of those were quite sad. We recently received a nice letter from a new listener who discovered our podcast and shared some of his experiences while just beginning to have the eyes of his understanding opened to the message of the gospel of grace. Chances are very good that much of what he is sharing will sound very familiar to you if you have progressed into the good news of the gift of righteousness. For some, it will bring reminders from your distant past ... or more recently for some. We felt it is probably an accurate representation of what many Christians go through when being set free from ideologies that are so burdensome within the mixed covenant culture quite dominant in corporate Christianity. We're going to do something different on this program and share the letter and some thoughts for those eagerly seeking answers to what may seem like "newfound faith." --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

This is the final installment from our previous request ... asking listeners to share something that completely changed for them as they slipped from the roots of religious legalism into the grace of the gospel. This week includes the topics of: - The fear of participating in communion "in an unworthy manner" because of certain sins that religion declares will cause a separation with God or result in a negative effect on our fellowship with Him. - The fear of bloodline curses or various curses from a lack of obedience in behavior. - Church members putting a guilt trip on those who do not attend regularly or deem them to be in error when they leave or attend a different church building. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7