God established a new covenant that promises eternal life to all who believe in what Jesus finished at the cross. The dress rehearsals of the Tabernacle serve to foreshadow the stringent requirements for forgiveness, all met by Jesus himself. That’s all the joy you need!
Good Tree, Good Fruit
September 1, 2024 • Brandon Ball
In Matthew 12, Jesus teaches that our words reflect our hearts, revealing the true nature of our faith. A heart transformed by the Gospel will produce words that testify to our righteousness in Christ, while a heart that rejects the Gospel remains condemned. As believers, we stand justified not by our own merit, but by the finished work of Jesus, allowing us to speak with confidence and boldness, knowing we are as He is—holy, blameless, and faultless before God.
The Unpardonable Sin
August 25, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Has anyone made you fear that you committed a sin that cannot be forgiven? Good news - The unpardonable sin is not a mysterious transgression that believers should fear! Rather it is the willful rejection of the Gospel after fully understanding its truth. Jesus’ teachings and the scriptures remind us that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable because it represents a deliberate refusal to accept the grace and forgiveness offered through Christ. As believers, we can rest in the assurance that we are no longer “in sin” but are made alive and righteous in Christ, free from fear of judgment.
Our Good Confession
August 18, 2024 • Brandon Ball
This New Covenant is a covenant of faith. It starts in the heart and makes its way into the world through our heart-felt confession about who Jesus is. We hold tight to that confession, not wavering from our right-standing with God, and never going back to an old method. Jesus is our good confession!
In With the New
August 11, 2024 • Brandon Ball
The old covenant, based on our efforts, has been made obsolete by the new covenant, which is grounded in God’s unending grace through Jesus. The new wine of righteousness cannot be contained in the old wineskins of the law; instead, we are made new, with God’s Spirit dwelling within us, guiding us from the inside out. It’s time to fully embrace this truth—out with the old, in with the new—where God’s love is written on our hearts, and our sins are remembered no more.
New Wine, New Wineskin
August 4, 2024 • Brandon Ball
While the Old Covenant was one of great burden and fear, the New Covenant is light and easy. Righteousness by the flesh was appropriate before the cross, showing the world the impossibility of behavioral and heart perfection. This is why we celebrate the cross and worship the Christ, realizing He gifted us with that required perfection, forever uniting us with the Father!
Life in His Name
July 28, 2024 • Brandon Ball
In Jesus’ encounter with the paralytic, He demonstrates His authority to forgive sins, highlighting the gravity of unforgiven sin as something far more serious than the world was aware of. By forgiving the paralytic’s sins, He revealed that true healing and freedom come from being forgiven by God Himself. Enjoying “life in His name” means embracing the forgiveness and life that Jesus offers, allowing us to stand blameless and holy in God’s presence.
Tortured?
July 21, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Does God torture His family? The obvious answer, “no,” teaches us to read Jesus’ words with His intended purpose. Jesus constantly raises the price of sin, bringing the world to the glorious conclusion that because of the Cross, God is good! Through His grace and forgiveness, we are transformed from within, standing holy and blameless before Him, free from the burdens of unforgiven sin.
The Reward
July 14, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Scripture speaks of a reward that belongs to every believer. It’s critical to define the reward with perfect clarity. Under the Old Covenant, righteousness was something one had to achieve through perfect adherence to the Law, an impossibly high standard. However, Jesus came not to abolish this standard but to fulfill it, offering believers His righteousness as a gift rather than something to be earned through works. Therefore, the true reward is not material or external but the righteousness received through faith in Christ, changing our motivation from earning God’s approval to living out the righteousness we’ve already been given.
Be Perfect
July 7, 2024 • Brandon Ball
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus raises the standard of righteousness to its proper place – Perfection is required! There are no alternatives to this, making the Law of Moses an impossible burden, and raising the gift of Grace to the rightful and glorious place of wonder and awe. Watering down the Law only throws water on the true fire of Grace!
Neither Do I Condemn You
June 23, 2024 • Brandon Ball
God’s grace abounds far beyond our shortcomings and failures. Jesus did not come to condemn us, but to fulfill the Law and extend His boundless grace. Therefore, we stand not under the weight of condemnation, but in the freedom of His love and forgiveness, empowered to live out our new identity in Him.
No Balance Due
June 16, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount magnifies the stringent demands of the Law, showing us the impossible standard it sets. However, as believers, we rejoice because Christ has fulfilled the Law’s demands on our behalf, granting us His perfect righteousness. Therefore, we no longer fear judgment or condemnation, but rest in the completed work of Jesus, knowing our debt has been paid in full!
Filling Up the Law
June 9, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Jesus’ new commandment to love one another as He has loved us transcends the old law’s requirements and introduces a grace-based standard of love. This shift from a self-based love to a Christ-centered love exemplifies the perfection of God’s love, which we are now called to emulate. Therefore, our righteousness, grounded in faith and the completed work of Christ, far surpasses the impossible standards of the law, leading us to live out His love in every aspect of our lives.
All or Nothing
June 2, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Both the Law and Grace operate on an all-or-nothing basis. The Law demands perfection, offering no partial credit, and drives us out when we fail. In contrast, Grace draws us in, offering complete forgiveness and restoration through faith in Jesus Christ. Remember, it is not our adherence to the Law but our faith in His grace that establishes our righteousness and relationship with God.
Grace Isn't Fair
May 26, 2024 • Brandon Ball
Jesus uses the contrast between the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus to illustrate the difference between law and grace. The rich young ruler’s reliance on the law left him lacking, while Zacchaeus, a sinner, received salvation through grace. This powerful comparison reminds us that salvation is not about our efforts to meet the impossible standards of the law but about receiving the grace that God freely offers to all who believe.
