Grace Remix Read Online Free
boring believer.” Contrast that with the
apostle Paul who considered his past achievements as dung and who barely mentioned his
former life as a hunter of Christians. The best parts of Paul’s story all came after he got saved.
If Christians lead dull lives, it’s because they don’t appreciate what happened to them at the
cross. They think that Jesus merely made them good . They don’t know that he made them great .
I wonder what would happen if we spent less time talking about the misdeeds of our past
and more time talking about the great treasure God has placed within us. Instead of reminiscing
about the old man, we should just bury the fool and get busy living.
9
3. Beware the Dogs of Law
Have you ever noticed how Paul often warns us about those who preach another gospel? In just
about every one of his letters there’s a warning: “Watch out for those who put obstacles in your
way contrary to what you have been taught” (Romans 16:17). “See to it that no one takes you
captive through philosophy which depends on human tradition rather than Christ” (Colossians
2:8). “If anyone preaches a different gospel, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). “Charge certain
people not to teach false doctrines” (1 Timothy 1:3).
When warning about false preachers, and particularly those who seek to bring the saints
back under law, Paul doesn’t mince his words. “Watch out for those dogs” (Philippians 3:2). His
animosity towards religious dogs may have been prompted by the disaster that fell upon the
Galatians:
I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live
by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace.
(Galatians 5:4 MSG)
The Galatians never intended to cut themselves off from Christ, but this is what happens when
you become seduced by dead works. One moment you’re under grace, the next you’re under
law. One moment you’re free, the next you’re enslaved.
Maybe you’re thinking, “It’ll never happen to me.” Yet many Christians are in danger of
falling from grace into dead works. They are trying to get God to bless them in response to their
performance.
If it happened to the Galatians it can happen to us. Below is a list of seven signposts or dogs
that reveal whether you are walking in faith. To the extent that these dogs are barking, you are
not in faith. You are in danger of falling from grace and back under law.
1. You always try to do the right thing
A preoccupation with doing the right thing is a classic sign that one has been eating from the
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. To live by a code of conduct is inferior to the life
Christ wants to live through us.
In choosing the wrong tree, Adam chose independence from God. An independent spirit
wants to decide for himself and thus prefers rules to relationship. But someone under grace
says, “I trust him from start to finish. He will lead me in the right path.”
It’s a cliché but your choice really is rules or relationship. You cannot reduce relationship to
a set of rules. Live by the rules and you’re setting yourself up for failure, for the law inflames
sin which leads to death (Romans 7:5). Even when you do the right thing it’ll be the wrong
10
ESCAPE TO REALITY – GREATEST HITS VOL. 4
thing because you’ll operating in an independent spirit instead of walking by faith. But if you
choose to abide in Christ, you’ll find yourself doing the right thing at the right time every time.
2. You think we must do everything Jesus said
Jesus said “be perfect” (Matthew 5:48). How’s that working out for you? If you can’t score a
perfect 10, then you’ve failed the test and there’s no hope for God requires perfection and
nothing less. But the good news is we have a perfect High Priest whose perfect sacrifice has
given us perfect standing before God forever (Hebrews 10:14).
The new covenant
apostle Paul who considered his past achievements as dung and who barely mentioned his
former life as a hunter of Christians. The best parts of Paul’s story all came after he got saved.
If Christians lead dull lives, it’s because they don’t appreciate what happened to them at the
cross. They think that Jesus merely made them good . They don’t know that he made them great .
I wonder what would happen if we spent less time talking about the misdeeds of our past
and more time talking about the great treasure God has placed within us. Instead of reminiscing
about the old man, we should just bury the fool and get busy living.
9
3. Beware the Dogs of Law
Have you ever noticed how Paul often warns us about those who preach another gospel? In just
about every one of his letters there’s a warning: “Watch out for those who put obstacles in your
way contrary to what you have been taught” (Romans 16:17). “See to it that no one takes you
captive through philosophy which depends on human tradition rather than Christ” (Colossians
2:8). “If anyone preaches a different gospel, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). “Charge certain
people not to teach false doctrines” (1 Timothy 1:3).
When warning about false preachers, and particularly those who seek to bring the saints
back under law, Paul doesn’t mince his words. “Watch out for those dogs” (Philippians 3:2). His
animosity towards religious dogs may have been prompted by the disaster that fell upon the
Galatians:
I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live
by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace.
(Galatians 5:4 MSG)
The Galatians never intended to cut themselves off from Christ, but this is what happens when
you become seduced by dead works. One moment you’re under grace, the next you’re under
law. One moment you’re free, the next you’re enslaved.
Maybe you’re thinking, “It’ll never happen to me.” Yet many Christians are in danger of
falling from grace into dead works. They are trying to get God to bless them in response to their
performance.
If it happened to the Galatians it can happen to us. Below is a list of seven signposts or dogs
that reveal whether you are walking in faith. To the extent that these dogs are barking, you are
not in faith. You are in danger of falling from grace and back under law.
1. You always try to do the right thing
A preoccupation with doing the right thing is a classic sign that one has been eating from the
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. To live by a code of conduct is inferior to the life
Christ wants to live through us.
In choosing the wrong tree, Adam chose independence from God. An independent spirit
wants to decide for himself and thus prefers rules to relationship. But someone under grace
says, “I trust him from start to finish. He will lead me in the right path.”
It’s a cliché but your choice really is rules or relationship. You cannot reduce relationship to
a set of rules. Live by the rules and you’re setting yourself up for failure, for the law inflames
sin which leads to death (Romans 7:5). Even when you do the right thing it’ll be the wrong
10
ESCAPE TO REALITY – GREATEST HITS VOL. 4
thing because you’ll operating in an independent spirit instead of walking by faith. But if you
choose to abide in Christ, you’ll find yourself doing the right thing at the right time every time.
2. You think we must do everything Jesus said
Jesus said “be perfect” (Matthew 5:48). How’s that working out for you? If you can’t score a
perfect 10, then you’ve failed the test and there’s no hope for God requires perfection and
nothing less. But the good news is we have a perfect High Priest whose perfect sacrifice has
given us perfect standing before God forever (Hebrews 10:14).
The new covenant
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