Almost 20 years ago, I (Judi) was out of work and deeply depressed. An important relationship was broken. I was in between careers and floundering to find my purpose in life. It was a very difficult time for me. For six months two of my brothers paid my bills to try to help me get back on my feet again and to keep me from having to lose my apartment. To say it was a bit humiliating is an understatement. My pride was hurt and I felt like a complete failure. Nonetheless, I needed help and didn’t see any other options. Here I was, a college graduate, having worked since I was 16 years old (not counting working on the farm when I was growing up), and I couldn’t find a job to simply support myself. 

Eventually, I was able to secure a good job where I grew and flourished in the business world. It was something I wouldn’t have thought I would do well in, but years later, I received an award from the company for being an outstanding employee. To their credit, my brothers never asked for me to financially repay them. They wanted to see me do well. Their kindness was received as a gift, a gift I couldn’t pay back immediately.

Has any one of us ever said that our own beliefs are wrong, and someone else’s beliefs are right? I don’t think so, because what we believe is just what we believe, whether it’s correct or not, and there is so much to debate about religion. There are so many thoughts and ideas, so many interpretations, and so many different "church fathers" to agree with. 
 
There are a lot of things that I once declared dogmatically that I no longer hold to, yet I see God lovingly having His arms around me the whole time, being patient with my inaccuracies, not really rebuking me, but continuing to gently lead me as a wise Father would.

Today I am thinking about (and being grateful for) the true riches of God! His Spirit continues to take us into more peace, joy, love, and goodness. These internal blessings are what make us truly wealthy. He is restoring our souls.
 
I had lived on earth for around forty years before I truly tasted peace in my soul. Many of those years, I was a Christian minister pursuing peace. A lot of my attention was on getting “more”, (more anointing, more people in my church, more money, more anything.) There was always something “wrong” that needed to be fixed. It’s hard to rest inside when you are always chasing a fix.

[4] We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. [5] We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NLT)

What are the human reasonings Paul is referring to here that make up a stronghold in the mind? 

For one, man’s idea of God is often based on human reasoning and becomes the accepted belief that will be argued over and defended. For example, if one experiences authority as harsh and punitive, one easily can develop a similar idea about God. It just makes sense to them. If someone’s paradigm of God has been with them since early childhood, then of course it will seem natural and unquestionable. Human reasoning often erects an image of God that is not good, not helpful and not true. Inevitably, it becomes a proud obstacle that prevents the person from actually knowing God, relating to God, or truly trusting God. 

This year on our podcast, The Third Option, Judi and I have been re-looking at the Bible, talking about understanding it better, particularly through the perspective of God’s Love and Grace. Recently, we’ve been exploring some of the books in the New Testament. This month we have several episodes discussing Paul’s letters to the Corinthian Church.  

The letter of 1 Corinthians, penned around 53-55 AD, addresses a diverse and dynamic church community in Corinth. This congregation was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, with backgrounds ranging from strict Judaism to pagan practices like temple prostitution. Corinth itself was a bustling port city with a reputation for cultural diversity, class divisions, and a strong emphasis on charismatic expressions. Corinthian culture prized oratory, charisma, and public displays—traits that naturally seeped into the church. Such cultural influences made it tempting for believers to seek recognition through their spiritual manifestations.

God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone. This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age. [Titus 2:11-12, TPT]

To understand this passage correctly, we need to know what is meant by a “godly life”. Legalism would define it by outward behavior, but Grace defines it by the Fruit of the Spirit. God cares a lot more that you have love, joy and peace in your heart, than whether you smoke, drink or cuss. So primarily Grace teaches us the way of God or the Fruit of the Spirit. We can tell a little about how it’s done by looking at the Greek word for “teach” used in the scripture above:

Paideuo (gr.): shaping a person's mind and character by passing on knowledge and values. 

As God shapes our mind and passes on His values, we find ourselves drawn towards love and even being healed of inner wounds as our thoughts are enlightened. 

Is the teaching of Grace the antidote for sin?

I have two points to this question:

1. Neither the preaching of Law nor the preaching of Grace guarantee that someone will never sin. In fact, I don’t see anywhere in the Bible that Grace is guaranteed to do that for us. And if we want it to be the antidote for sinful behavior, maybe we are missing the point of it all.

I have been around a lot of people who preach Grace and who preach Law. And I’ve found that they’ve all been susceptible to sinful behavior because of the weak flesh that we all live with. 

2. However, Grace can do something that legalism will never do, because Grace reveals something about God that legalism denies. 

I am an orator by trade. My job is to use words in a feeble attempt to describe God. Try as I may, I am very much aware that my words will never succeed in giving an accurate picture of God. One reason is that I simply don't know that much about God. I do know a little, and that little bit is absolutely powerful in my life. The little I know has brought a lot of heaven into my experience, but compared to God's bigness and beauty, there's so much that I cannot fathom.

I DO know a lot of things to say ABOUT God. I know a LOT about the scriptures. I know a LOT of theology, and I know a LOT about Christianity, but God is largely a beautiful and wonderful mystery to me. When I'm talking with others about the scriptures, theology, or Christianity, we can have some very interesting, fun, and even combative discussions. We will fill the room with facts that either verify or question our beliefs. Our passion for knowing has drawn us to much study and it's very interesting.

Morals are good things. We are considered to have morality when we are guided by positive, inward, personal principles and values. Morality is certainly better than immorality, which forsakes mutually acceptable standards of good behavior.

Virtually all cultures and ideologies would agree on many things concerning what is good or bad behavior, but we find in our societies a thing called moralization. Moralization is another thing altogether, it is the process of giving a personal preference or a neutral issue more weight than is good for humans. A good example would be that some people believe that it is good to drink no alcohol at all, so they would like to impose a prohibition upon everyone, even on those with no negative impact on their moral behavior.

While morals are good, moralization is detrimental, and it lives in a lot of religion. The grace of God goes against moralism. Grace is just so lovely, and while moralism might mean well, it is very imperfect. It doesn't ultimately bring about Godliness, and it is actually very weak and collapses under its own weight.

The New Testament talks about something living in you. It’s called, “God in you”, “Christ in you”, “the Spirit in you”, “the living water in you”, “the kingdom in you”, “the seed in you”. 

These are not a lot of separate things inside of us. They are onething. These are all things that pertain to God. It is Him living within us. It’s the seed of LOVE. 

The seed of LOVE was planted with the greatest act of love ever demonstrated: the Son of God dying for mankind. He initiated a new and living way for us that would ultimately change the world. 

The Bible says that God’s love has been placed in us by the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 9:7 says that of the increase of His government and of peace, there will be no end. Jesus said something like this when He said, the seed, though it begins small, becomes a large tree where all the birds of the air can find rest. 

The truth shall make you free. Jesus is the truth (about God, and about you).
 
He shows us the Father, because He is like the Father, one with the Father. He shows us our true selves, because we are in the likeness of Him, and one with Him.
 
If, as the Bible says, the works were finished from the foundation of the world, then WE were finished from the foundation of the world. That’s also why it says that we were chosen in Him BEFORE the foundation of the world.

A lot of Christians are living under a culture of judgment. They feel that God is judging them, or He is certainly going to judge them. And this idea is a central theme to many of us. That’s probably why judgment easily flows from us. The culture of judgment might cause us to constantly measure ourselves, asking “Have we been good enough?” “Are we doing enough?” “What am I missing?” “Should I become something better?” And if I feel that I am not good enough for God, but I could be if I become someone better, then I look at other people and I can see their shortcomings and I may often judge them as unworthy of God’s favor and blessings. 

Here is a little piece of scripture that makes me cringe. It’s a prayer invoking evil upon others, calling on God to bring calamity down on people. These are some of the most horrible words in the Bible:
 
“O daughter of Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.
Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!” – Psalms 137:8-9
 
I remember that Jesus once challenged a group of men to “cast the first stone”. If He were speaking to these Jewish exiles in Babylon, would He challenge them to smash the first baby?
 
I think this shows the fallacy of the idea of retributive justice, the idea that God will somehow balance the scales of justice by bringing evil on those who do evil. Yet can you see how this brand of justice brings nothing good or solves no problem? It only brings more pain, more destruction, more sorrow, and more death.
 
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” – Proverbs 16:25

Would you work for an employer who would not tell you what you would be paid?
 
Jesus told a story about a man who hired workers for his vineyard. They made an agreement that if they would work a full twelve-hour day, they would be paid a denarius, which is the standard pay for a full day of work. This was a very reasonable agreement.
 
The man found more workers as the day progressed, telling them he would give them what was “right” or “just” at the end of the day. Some worked nine hours, some six, some three, and some only one hour. None of these men knew what they would be paid. I, myself would not work for someone that would not tell me the amount I’m being paid, UNLESS…
 
UNLESS I believe that the landowner is good and generous. If I believe that I can trust the owner, I will do what he asks. This is faith, and this is trusting in his grace.

I have had a hard time growing grass in my front yard. For many years, we had an oak tree right in the middle of it, and I tried so many things to get grass to grow under it to no avail.
 
Finally, we cut the tree down. I killed all of the weeds, turned the soil over, added topsoil, and planted grass seed.

After a week, I could spot a few of the slightest green blades among the abundance of dirt. I was happy! My yard was on its way! Life was happening!
 
Every day, I would carefully examine the dirt for more signs of life. I would discover a few more tiny blades. I celebrated in my heart!

It’s very obvious with everything Jesus said and did that He made everyone of equal value. That’s why we see him elevating women, outcasts, and even sinners. He demonstrated the Kingdom of Heaven’s system rather than the world’s system which divides, separates, and creates classes of humans that are less than. 

When we look at the miracles of Jesus, we see instances where He actually went out of his way to those who were considered unclean, like the Samaritan woman at the well, the demon-possessed man of Gadara. He honored the “unclean” woman with the issue of blood who broke their law by being in public and touching Jesus. In a culture where the sick and poor were considered less than equal, Jesus healed, restored value and honored them all. 

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” – Psalm 27:4
 
When David wrote this, he was expressing a desire to see something that he had maybe caught a glimpse of. He seemed to grasp that the Lord was beautiful, yet he wanted to be able to behold it in a fuller way.
 
Personally, I feel that I am aware of God’s beauty much more than I ever have. I also am aware that it is something that is a revelation to us. The Spirit somehow shows us the goodness and beauty of the Lord, and it becomes a reality of our existence.

“Turn the other cheek.”  “If they want your tunic, give them your cloak also.”  “Go the extra mile.”  “Give to whoever asks of you.”  “Love your enemies.”  “Bless those who curse you.”  “Do good to those who hate you.”  “Pray for those who persecute you.”  “Forgive everyone.”
 
Jesus said that this is what children of God look like (Matthew 5:45). No wonder the Bible says that the whole creation is looking for the manifestation of the children of God! What a world this will be!

One of the most wonderful things that Jesus shows us, is that we are all highly valued. He does this in His parables, saying we are the “pearl of great price” and the “hidden treasure in the field”. He told us that His heart is tightly connected to those in prison, the poor, the sick, the orphans and the widows.
 
He showed that a woman caught in adultery was more valuable than the rule against such adultery. A thieving tax-collector was precious in His sight, and Jesus still wanted his company. The prodigal son still belongs, and the sheep that has wandered away is not damned for its wayward life, but rather it is carried home by the Shepherd who is willing to give His life for it.

And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (Mark 2:4-5 NKJV, emphasis ours)

What has been on our minds about this particular piece of scripture is that the paralytic in the story had no part in the faith story. It was the faith of his friends that Jesus took notice of. They brought him to Jesus and when they couldn’t get near Him, they did not give up. In fact, they created a hole in the roof and lowered their friend to Jesus so their friend could not be missed. Ultimately, the paralytic man was healed and was able to get up and walk home.