How Does The Christian Life Work? Is It Legal? - Is It Moral? - Or Is It NATURAL??

Why do so many spiritual teachers constantly preach out of the Old Testament? Certainly there are individual lessons to be learned from the lives of Old Testament people and the way that God dealt with them. But I believe that there is too much time spent in the Old Testament and not enough emphasis placed on the new birth in union with Christ found in all of Paul’s epistles, parts of John’s gospel, and parts of Peter’s and John’s epistles.

The history of modern Christianity shows that it has so intertwined the scriptures applying to grace with scriptures applying to law and morality that the church is missing much of the true gospel of the purpose of God.

You may wonder how anyone could so easily miss the in-Christ message when it is so prominently stated by Paul. But, in fact, many of the new Bibles being published today have cut out nearly all of the “in-Christ” statements.

A major problem in Christ’s Church that has greatly affected the true gospel of grace is the rise of the so-called “kingdom message”. This is a gospel based primarily on the Old Testament prophecies and greatly ignores the final gospel based on Paul’s revelation. It is a message devoid of pure grace and is essentially based on Israel’s laws. It attracts believers because it emphasizes human works and earthly benefits and promises healing and prosperity if you do all the right things. While these things can be a blessing to people, their greatest harm is that the law gospel – the gospel of circumcision given to Israel (Gal. 2:7) is denying them the greater blessing of knowing the Christ who lives in them and is their true life containing the nature of God.

Those who mix law and grace are unable to separate Israel and the Body-of-Christ Church. The entire plan of God for Israel was to establish God’s kingdom on earth through them – if and when they would accept it. To this day, Israel has never qualified, by accepting their Messiah, to be a part of this plan and has been set aside by God for now (Acts 28:27-28).

The Church of Jesus Christ has never been included in this plan. Four-fifths of the Bible is given to this plan. This leaves only one-fifth of the Scriptures dealing with grace and God’s plan for the born again believer. It is for this reason I urge all believers to first find their place in union with Christ as is stated in the grace scriptures in the aforementioned parts of the New Testament. Only then can the Old Testament be properly understood and used. Believers should be firmly grounded in these scriptures first, and then go to the rest of the Bible to see how it all happened.

But modern believers do not want to give up their mixing of scriptures on the keeping of law and the receiving of grace. When God speaks to people in four-fifths of the Bible, He is dealing with them in a pre-cross and pre-newbirth in Christ time. Israel was never given Paul’s revelation of the in-Christ nature of the Christian, and no one in the Old Testament knew anything about it. The new Body of Christ includes believing Jews and believing Gentiles, but when either of these accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, they no longer retain their previous race. They become an entirely new race of people, a new creation race birthed by a new Father (2 Cor. 5:17).

The Legalistic Approach

Those of us who have spent any time at all in church can no doubt resolve legally from the Bible most questions. We were taught that the Bible clearly states what we should and should not DO in living this life on earth. We were taught the appropriate “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not” to apply to situations. If we use this approach, we have either introduced or reinforced legalism.

If we are going to believe what the apostle Paul has told us about law, then this solution isn’t a workable one. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you aren’t under the law, but under grace.” (Rom. 6:14). “But if you are led of the Spirit, you aren’t under the law.” (Gal. 5:18). The legalistic approach operates at the simple CHILD level of understanding of 1 John 2:12-14. This may be adequate as a first understanding of God while the new Christian is under “…tutors and governors until the time appointed by the Father” (Gal. 4:1-2), but a time will come when we are moved on by the Father.

The Morality Approach

As we move on in our understanding, the concept of appealing to the morality of the person begins to emerge. It basically consists of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Our actions here could certainly be commended by most in the world, as this is quite often a psychological approach to deal with guilt (such as the many philanthropic acts of “goodness” in the world) as well as to earn the respect of others by our “moral” deeds.

It appears likely that any approach along these lines is no more than a partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Although this approach is an improvement over the legalistic method it is, at best, a level of understanding that can be classified as the YOUNG MAN level in 1 John 2 where we are attempting to use our personal strength to overcome the world by our own self-effort.

The “Natural” Approach

A “more excellent way” (Acts 18:26) is applicable to any and all of life’s situations – bar none! The reason I make this statement is because most people we interact with basically are asking the wrong questions about life. “What can I do to please God?” “What should I not do that will displease God?”

THE SINGLE QUESTION THEY SHOULD BE ASKING IS: “WHO AM I?” After our new birth, knowing who we are in union with Christ living within us is the ultimate answer to every situation and question of life!

We are to take the “natural” approach to the Christian life – living from the power of the divine nature of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Pet. 1:4). We were never meant to live the Christian life apart from the divine nature in Christ. In fact, it is impossible to live the Christian life out of our own human effort – either legally or morally. Everything that we ARE in Spirit and are BECOMING in soul (these two must be rightly divided) is to have its origin in the nature of God.

However, it isn’t enough to be a partaker of the divine nature – the legalizing Christians and the moralizing Christians have the divine nature given to them when they are born again. It is equally important to learn to trust and allow Christ to express His Life through us – in other words, to LIVE NATURALLY SPIRITUALLY! The Holy Spirit of God teaches us by daily lessons that we aren’t meant to live by legalistic means or by moral and philanthropic self-effort, but naturally by the only true Life we have – Christ!

When this revelation occurs, the Father is moving us into the third level of knowing in 1 John 2, the FATHER understanding. It is at this point that we begin to see “from the beginning” (Eph. 1:4) what being in union with Christ and He living in us is all about. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). “…the life I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God…” (Gal. 2:20).

In this way, the creature would finally be a completed human being (Col. 2:10). A human being was never intended to live a life without the NATURE of God in him. When we move into this father level of understanding, we now act out of our one and only true nature, which is Christ, rather than trying to live by legalism or by our own moral strength (which at best is an illusion).

Before our new birth, we lived naturally – unknowingly relying on the indwelling nature of Satan. This was the nature of the species.

Now, as Christians, we are a new species with a new nature – the divine nature of God. As we learn to trust in this divine nature, we will receive the earthly consequences for our sins and the fatherly correction to turn us again in the right direction. But Christ will never leave us or forsake us. We are children of God for the long haul. And the Father will instill His lifestyle – NATURALLY!

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The Missing Part

WARNING! I am going to present the gospel of Jesus Christ, but in the first portion of the article I am going to leave a critical part of the gospel out. I challenge you to determine that critically important missing dimension.

The Message

Our world has big problems, doesn’t it? Look at the society we live in!

Wars continue around this world and since 9-11 we have been made painfully aware that there are many who hate North Americans, Christians and Jews – and believe that they are involved in a so-called “holy war” to eradicate us. Hatred and bigotry seem to be increasing, love and understanding diminishing.

Prisons are overcrowded, despite the fact that a huge building program of new prisons has been completed. Homeland security is focused on terrorism, but meanwhile organized street gangs threaten to overpower police departments in many cities throughout the United States.

The plague of illegal, addictive and deadly drugs is tearing an entire generation apart.

Our polluted environment is reeling from human corruption and greed. In the name of “growth and prosperity” we have besmirched our land, water and air.

It isn’t hard to prove that sin is having its way in our world today. Of course the Bible clearly states that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Our sin leads not only to human misery and painful penalties but it also separates us from God.

We need to change our ways, to turn from sin. It’s time for a clear message of repentance and reform to sound throughout our land.

We need to start obeying God before it’s too late.

What can we do? There is an answer to all of this bad news – there is another way to live our lives. What if our media, our school teachers, our entertainment and athletic stars would begin to not only encourage morality, but exemplify it?

What if we started now to depict the beauty and rewards of a happy marriage, in which husband and wife are faithful to each other, producing homes where two parents lovingly raise, discipline and provide for their children?

What if children did not come home, as latchkey children, to empty houses that both parents must work to pay for, but instead returned from school to homes where at least one parent was there to greet them?

What if teens didn’t disappear into their bedrooms after returning from school, and behind closed doors amuse themselves with music, cell phones, video games and explicit websites on the Internet?

I call on you all to join me in a crusade for morality. I call on you to help enact laws that punish those who provide and promote wickedness. Let’s stop glorifying violence, and pass legislation to prohibit the kind of movies, music and video games with which many of our youths are now preoccupied.

I would call our cause “the moral majority” but that name is already taken. I call on all Christians to actively promote morality and values. I call on all Christians to boycott companies that deal in filth. We can start a crusade for morality. We can help change our world. We don’t have to stand by and watch our world go to hell in a hand basket.

The Missing Part

That’s it. That’s my message. It’s a message that identifies the problem and proposes a solution. The solution I propose is a call to morality – a call to do something before it’s too late – a call to stop compromising with sin.

What’s missing? What part of the gospel – what critical part – have I neglected to include in this message? Please determine your answer before continuing. Thinkkkkkkkkkkk!






We have all been schooled in the idea that our entrance into God’s kingdom of heaven is based on our morals. But the gospel is not a checklist of rules that help us build character. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not primarily about morality. The gospel is moral, no doubt about that, but the gospel does not focus on what we do. The gospel is all about Jesus – what He has done on the cross for us; what He will do when we choose to have Him come and live in us; and then…what He will do through us to others as He lives His Life in us.

The gospel is not about programs, initiatives or agendas. The gospel is not a formula. The gospel is not about popping religious pills to make us better. The gospel is not about ceremonies or rituals we perform so that we and others can become better people. You see, Christianity is not one and the same as being moral. Some of the most moral people alive today are not Christians. Moral people may or may not be Christians; they may or may not be affiliated with any religion. Christians are moral, no doubt about that, but authentic Christians are more likely to repent and ask forgiveness than they are to put a priority on producing good morals.

The gospel is not about us changing other people or even changing ourselves in our own strength – it’s about Jesus changing us. The gospel is not a matter of us looking at how wrong other people are, and devising programs so that those people can qualify to become a member of our religious club. Religious, special, better-than-everybody-else clubs are not the answer.

Of course, one doesn’t need to be a Christian to acknowledge the undeniable fact that our world is in a world of hurt. The problem with proposing morality as the answer is that Jesus in us is reduced to an afterthought, a religious ornament, a nice piece of religious furniture that we look at, admire, but has no practical value. In such an atmosphere, when restrictions and deeds form our primary religion identification and affiliation, Jesus is rarely seen or heard, though His name is used.

If morality is the answer, then Jesus is completely unnecessary. If we can fix our own problems – who needs Jesus? If we believe that we can produce enough goodness to turn our world around, then knowing Jesus, accepting Him, believing and trusting in Him are irrelevant. Religious legalism appropriates the name of Jesus, but it puts Him in a museum, while the real and practical issue is what we do and what we don’t do.

Moral majority movements can quickly become all about us, and Jesus is left behind. Of course God wants us to be moral, rather than immoral. But he wants us to understand that our campaigns, our deeds, our programs, and our performances are not the real center of our lives. The real prize is Jesus. The real treasure that we have in jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7) is God’s amazing grace putting Jesus inside of us.

Jesus produces morality, but morality does not produce Jesus. Any religious program that suggests that morality is the real answer is in fact the wrong answer. The answer is choosing to have Jesus live in you. That’s it! Jesus. When we abide in union with Christ we know that changing what we do – becoming better people, building more character – doesn’t change WHO WE ARE. We know that when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior He makes us into new men and women, children of God in His Family. Living with Him in us will eventually transform our behavior in ways we could never accomplish apart from Him.

Salvation is completely and absolutely a product of God’s grace – all we need to do is accept it by choosing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to come and forever live in us.

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Nicodemus

“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus” (John 3:1).

Nicodemus was highly trained, well-educated, and heavily involved in Jewish religion. It was not to the world, nor even to the rank sinner, that Christ chose to introduce what would be a whole new race of people on the face of this earth. The message that Christ was to bring to this man, as well as to the whole world, was not a message of doctrinal points, nor ecclesiastic ideas, not laws, but it was a message of life.

For 1700 years, God had dealt only with Jews through the Law and had proven during that period of time that they could not keep the whole Law and, therefore, could not earn eternal life. Now it was time to tell Israel, as well as the whole world, that the only way human beings can ever fulfill righteousness or even the fullness of God’s plan would be to have another life placed in them – a life which was in total union and obedience to the Father.

“A ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1).

Nicodemus was not only a leader in a local synagogue, but he was also a member of the Sanhedrin, that lofty organization in Judaism which had only 70 members. This organization was the seat of government for religion. For 1700 years, the organization that ruled over Israel had purported the idea that to keep the Law is to be righteous and spiritual and, in the end, to have eternal life. By this deception, Israel had plunged to her lowest spiritual condition. Whenever the Law is kept – any law, for that matter – with the expectation of becoming more godly or more greatly used of God, then the grace of God is being thwarted.

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God – for no man can do these miracles that you do unless God be with him” (John 3:2).

Certainly, Nicodemus had seen the miracles which Christ performed. The doing of miracles is a tremendous stimulation among human beings. The emphasis is on “doing” – do good works, do miracles, do the supernatural, and you will be godly. But Jesus said that in that day there would be many who had performed great miracles and had even done them in His name, yet were not His. And Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ – and no wonder, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”


“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3).

NOW the most awesome message ever to be brought to this world is about to be delivered. It is no time to talk about how Jesus is a teacher, to talk about miracles, to talk about Israel and her needs. The only thing that is going to make a difference in this world is the message which Jesus must bring at this time. It is ordained to be brought to Israel with all her laws and Mosaic trappings, to come to see that the plan of God has been in operation through the Law whose purpose was to bring man to ultimate frustration and to the message Jesus is about to give. Before the world was ever created, before there was any order as we now know it in this universe, there was a God-idea that said, “WHAT I WANT IS CREATURES WHO CHOOSE TO HAVE MY NATURE IN THEM – MY NATURE IN THE PERSON OF MY SON, JESUS.”

It is announced with finality over Moses’ Law, over Judaism, and over all God’s dealings with religious Israel, that the only way anyone can ever please God is to be born again. Up until this time, every birthing that had taken place had required a natural father placing his sperm into a mother’s ovum; by the union of the two, there was produced another person. Every seed had brought forth fruit of its kind. But now, for the first time in the history of the universe, the God-Son has announced to all creatures that in order to fulfill God’s intention, there must be another kind of birthing. This new birthing would have a new father, not of this earth, not of natural men, but solely from spirit and solely from above – God the Father.

What Jesus has announced to Nicodemus, which was misunderstood by him and is still greatly misunderstood by religion, even by many of those who preach being born again, is that another FATHER would be required in order for the creature to have life. That meant that no creature had true life until that birthing took place, for sinners were dead in their sin and were children of Satan (John 8:44).

It was, of course, impossible for Nicodemus to understand this. This was so far above and beyond any knowledge that had ever been granted to human beings on this earth that it was little wonder that Nicodemus could not understand. But the reason for the universe and its creation was to bring about this new creature, this new race of human beings, who by a choice of faith in Christ as Savior and Lord would contain Christ with the nature of God as their only Life.

Jesus has vividly ignored everything in His past conversation to deliver the awesome message, “You must be born again.” He now is not telling men how to live; He begins His greatest message by telling how they can be made ALIVE by God. This implies, of course, that by religion and natural birth, men are not alive to God.

God’s purpose for humans is not a change or improvement in the sinful nature of people, but rather an EXCHANGE of natures.

Paul put it so plainly in my favorite verse of the Bible, Galatians 2:20:
I am crucified with Christ [my old sinful nature has died and been removed by my new birth in Christ], nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me [by my new birth Jesus Christ now lives within me giving me the nature of God], and the life that I live in the flesh [the new Life, the true Life, of Christ within me] I live by the faith of the Son of God [I am now able to resist sin because I don’t have a sin nature anymore (though being influenced by external things of the world I will occasionally still sin)] Who loved me and gave Himself for me. [The whole reason why I am ABLE to be born again with the nature of God is that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins, past, present and future.]

There is no indication that Nicodemus becomes a believer by this meeting with Jesus. Even when Nicodemus pleads Jesus' case before the Sanhedrin, he probably was not a true believer. We might hope that Nicodemus' final act with Jesus of taking His body off the cross and burying Him could have brought about the ultimate of God in Nicodemus - that he was born again.

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Little Lizard - Big Mystery

If you watch television much, you have probably seen the commercial for the GEICO Insurance Co. which features a gecko! Mr. Gecko is a lizard – what you might call the mascot of the company. He is featured in many ways within the commercial. Since he seems so smart in the commercial, let's let him tell us about himself.

I'm just a harmless little lizard, between one and six inches long. You surely don't think I have much to boast about. We are a colorful lot, some of us gray, some green, some orange. But that doesn't surprise you. I'm talking to you today not to boast about myself but about my Creator. You see, I want to tell you about some very special abilities my very wonderful Creator has given me so that you can give glory to Him also!

I can't fly, and I'm not much good at jumping. But one thing I can do is run! It doesn't matter if the surface is flat or vertical, or rough or smooth. I can scurry up a wall, or across a ceiling in a flick – without suction, or glue, or friction, or any Velcro-like material on the surface. I've had the scientists really puzzled for a long time. Only recently have they been able to figure out a few of my unusual abilities.

You see, my Creator made me with some very singular designs. One of these is my feet. Like many lizards in my family, I have four legs. Each leg extends into a foot, and each foot has five toes, just as you have. But – and here I must again mention my wonderful Creator – my toes are no ordinary creation. Each toe has many tiny hairs attached to it – on my 20 toes I probably have a total of more than two million toe hairs (nobody has counted them exactly!).These toe hairs are so tiny that the scientists can see them only when they magnify them more than 30,000 times!

And they aren't plain, simple hairs either. Each hair is tipped with thousands of tiny pads, each measuring some ten millionths of an inch across. These pads act like tiny suction cups, so powerful that I can actually hang from the ceiling by a single toe!

The scientists are even more perplexed because I not only know how to make my hairy toes stick but I can also make them release. Instantly. Otherwise – well, I'd still be hanging by my toe up there on the ceiling.

Just how do I pry my toes loose fast enough to keep running? That is a secret between my Creator and me, and I think we'll keep it that way for now. You just need to praise Him for His wonderful designs!

A scientist says that when a gecko runs, he has to attach and detach himself 15 times a second. I didn't know I was that good at it. It's very ordinary to me, because that is the way my Creator designed me to do it!

But do you know, I heard a very strange comment recently. It sounded something like this: "The gecko, through evolution, has developed an amazing way of walking..." Did you ever hear such a thing? They make it sound like I did it! Or that my ancestors had something to do with my design. Well, you and I know better! This is the way my Creator made me. My Creator gets ALL the credit.

Yes, ALL of it, because He designed me! All glory to my Creator, "who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number" (Job 5:9).

He made me! And now I even get to be on television as a celebrity! Pardon me if I walk with a swagger – and even dance around (making sure my toe pads don't stick!) because I love my Creator for designing me so marvelously.

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The Key Is In the Tears

I’m sort of political. In fact, all of us Christians have to be political! The problem with being political is one of divided loyalties. It’s this dual citizenship that can drive you nuts. I’m a United States citizen, and I love my country. I’m also a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and I love that country too.

I’m torn between my love for (and particular views on) America and my love for (and Jesus’ views on) the Kingdom of God. Where do I draw the line between being an “in-your-face” angry patriot and being humble and in the background? How do I deal with my growing weariness of and anger with real racism and my awareness of “reverse racism” and “races as victims”? What’s the difference between creating (perhaps out of compassion) a permanent underclass in America thus destroying the fabric of society, and my call to love and have compassion on the poor? How is one to love gays and lesbians without giving approval to a lifestyle that is clearly not approved by God?

It goes on and on, as you can imagine. I have particular views on all of those and many similar issues. But I’m talking about the attitude of a Christian (regardless of political persuasion) to the dual citizenship that we all have.

Do you remember when Jesus came to Jerusalem to die? Luke says, “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it….” (Luke 19:41).

I think I’ve found the key. THE KEY IS IN THE TEARS.

Jesus never compromised. He clearly spoke harsh truth and even rose up with righteous indignation at the con artists in the temple. You will note that immediately after the weeping over Jerusalem, Jesus spoke harsh truth about the destruction of Jerusalem and then went to the temple to kick posteriors.

THE KEY IS IN THE TEARS.

Jesus spoke harsh truth – harsher than anything we will ever speak. He granted grace to the most sinful, angry sinners. He then gave Himself in ways that we can hardly imagine and that we will never give ourselves.

Think about it! When we speak truth without tears, it’s just condemnation and judgment. When we grant grace and mercy without tears, it’s just self-righteousness. When we give compassion without tears, it’s just moralistic “do-goodism”.

THE KEY IS IN THE TEARS.

So I’ve asked God to give me tears before anything else. I want to see things through the eyes of Jesus, to love the way He loved and to show compassion the way He showed compassion.

But I also want to be clear where He was clear and to never back off from the truth as He never did. But it’s the attitude that is important…the sorrow seen in the tears.

And one other thing. Jesus wept for us from a position of purity, holiness and righteousness. Our tears can never be like that. We sin – we are too confused and too needy ourselves. Our tears are for THEM…and for OURSELVES.

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