The Finished Work and Works

For generations, religious legalism has weaponized James chapter 2 to shackle the hearts of the Bride, causing many of us to tremble under the false impression that our security rests upon our own performance. Religious institutions point to the letter of the word and whisper, "See? Faith without works is dead. You must work to keep your salvation." But let the Word of God be true and every man a liar! When we strip away religious tradition and are reminded of the unconditional love, goodness, and pure truth of Christ, we realize that the entire Bible is about Yah'shua, and all of Yah'shua is about His beloved.

James 2 is not a call for us to step back under the heavy yoke of human effort.

The Salt that is Us

In the Sermon on the Mount, Yah’shua issued a statement that has often been used by the institutional church to burden the believer with the weight of performance: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men" (Matthew 5:13).

For centuries, religious traditions interpreted this as a threat—a warning that through insufficient effort, sin, or "backsliding," one might lose their "saltiness" and be discarded by God.

Babylon Gone

In our third and last post in the series we conclude our journey through the Babylon confusion, we move from the historical shadows of exile into the prophetic climax found in the book of Revelation. We witness the greatest unveiling, the glory of the Lamb who has taken away the sin of the world. 

We have traced the "Line of Confusion" from the Garden of Eden (the lie of lack), through the Plains of Shinar (the bricks of effort), and through the Exile (the blindness of legalism). Now, we see how the "Deadly Concoction" meets its final end. In Revelation, the "mixture" is finally exposed and estranged, the "mystery" is denounced, and the "Finished Work" is fully exhibited so that the blind are no longer blind.

The Seething Pot of Mixture

As we continue our journey into the heart of Babylon, we move from the ancient tower of Nimrod to the dusty streets of Jerusalem on the eve of its fall, and finally into the gilded palaces of the Babylonian conquerors.

In our first post, we saw how the "deadly mixture" began as a whisper in the Garden—a lie that humanity was "not enough"—and grew into the "Gate of God" (Babel), where man tried to reach the heavens with his own bricks of effort. In this post we’ll see how this Babylonian confusion infiltrated the very "House" (the Beth) of God's people, leading to the Exile. We will see that the deviation of the kings and the names of the Babylonian rulers themselves were all part of a "Deadly Concoction" designed to replace the rest in Yah’shua with the striving of man.

Babylon the Gate of Confusion

In this three-part blogpost series, we’ll embark on a journey to understand the origins of Babylon. We shall look through the lens of the finished work of Yah’shua to recognize the historical context and its opposition to God’s Grace. 

Babylon is not merely a geographical location or an ancient empire; it is a spiritual system—a "deadly mixture"—that stands opposed to the perfection and grace of God (Yah’shua).

To understand Babylon, we must go back past the towers of Mesopotamia, all the way to the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. It was there that the first seeds of Babylonian confusion were sown, and it was there that the "deadly mixture" was first presented to humanity.

Fearful masterpiece

The Holy Spirit reminds us daily that we are the object of Yah’shua’s deepest affection.

When we look at Psalm 139 through the lens of the Finished Work, we see that it is not a song about a distant God tracking our every move for judgment, but a love letter about a Saviour who has fully known us, fully searched us, and fully perfected us.

We are reminded that in the Finished Work of Yah’shua, we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15, KJV).

The Fearfully and Wonderfully Made of Psalm 139:14

No spiritual booby trap

The final two verses of the book of Revelation, before the concluding blessing, often strike fear into the hearts of believers. The popular and often erroneous interpretation of Revelation 22:18-19 makes it sound like a terrifying threat against touching the Bible itself.

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19 KJV)

So, why can’t you add to or take away?

Vibe Check

This post is all about How to Know the Real Deal. It is about Yah'shua, Love, and Discernment, all to be found in our new identity in Christ!

So hey, if you’ve been following our blog post journey, you know everything comes back to the One and Only King, Yah'shua (the Hebrew name for Jesus). It’s all about His finished work—the ultimate, accomplished, mic-drop act of love that changed everything forever.

We live in a world of filters, deepfakes, and confusing signals. You’re constantly being told what to believe, how to feel, and who you should be. You've got to have a spiritual "Vibe Check" running 24/7.

Unmixable Truth

 

Why Old Skins Can't Hold New Wine

Have you ever encountered a truth so profound, so liberating, that it utterly transforms your understanding? Yet, often, our age-old drawback comes from religion – the man-made traditions, rules, and needless works we bind ourselves to without even considering their true origin. Just like the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus' day, we can inadvertently "make the word of God of none effect through your tradition" (Mark 7:13, KJV).

Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, often taught through parables, simple stories designed to cut through this religious fog and reveal layers of divine wisdom. Today, we're diving into one such profound parable from Luke 5:36-39 (KJV), a passage that brilliantly illustrates the radical, unmixable difference between the Old Covenant of Law and the New Testament of Grace.

Wives and Submission, Husbands and Heading

The Divine Pattern of Marriage

What may be corrupted as a military instruction, is actually a divine guideline for sensible living in a marriage. The Apostle Paul's words in Ephesians chapter five, particularly the part for wives to “submit” to their husbands and for husbands to be the "head" of the wife, present a profound and often misunderstood picture of the marital relationship. To truly grasp this divine pattern, we must go beyond a modern-day, surface-level reading and examine the original Greek, focusing on the finished work of Christ, which transforms all human relationships and ultimately finds its glorious consummation in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

The Eye as the Window to the Soul Exploration

The saying, "The eyes are the window to the soul," is a perpetual expression (alliteration intended) we’ve all heard. It suggests that a person’s eyes reveal their deepest feelings, intentions, and character. While this exact phrase is not found in the Bible, it does capture a profound spiritual truth that Jesus Himself taught in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

In this blog post I will delve into the biblical foundation of this idea, exploring what Jesus meant by the "lamp of the body," and how this concept is directly connected to the finished work of Christ and the glorious Gospel of Grace.

Perfect Liberty

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25, KJV). This profound declaration from the Apostle James introduces a concept that, at first glance, might seem paradoxical: one "perfect law" that brings "liberty." How can the very idea of 'law,' which often conjures images of restriction, rules, and bondage, be synonymous with 'perfect' and 'liberty'?

The Case for Hyper-Grace

Unpacking "Hyper-Grace": Beyond Measure, Beyond Doubt, All Because of Christ's Finished Work

Someone asks the question:

"Is this new 'hyper grace' movement OK?"

Mmmmm, well, firstly, let's establish that the concept of abundant grace is certainly not new; it's as ancient as the Gospel itself! The term "Hyper-Grace" is a modern label, often used to describe teachings that emphasize God's grace to such an extent that critics sometimes argue it neglects other biblical truths (denominational and religious dogma) like personal responsibility, repentance for believers, or the pursuit of holiness. However, when understood biblically, "hyper-grace" simply points to the immeasurable, overflowing, and radical nature of God's favour given to us in Christ. It is God’s Gift from which we cannot subtract, nor add to make our salvation and position in Christ even better.

So, let's see. We know that Grace is God's unmerited, unearned favour. It's the divine kindness extended to humanity, not because of what we do, but because of who God is and what He has done for us. In the New Testament, the primary Greek word for grace is χάρις (charis). This word signifies God's benevolent disposition and the divine enablement that empowers believers. It is in Jesus Christ that we see Grace personified and perfectly demonstrated!

Hyper? A Biblical Super-Abundance

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

 

There's a subtle, yet dangerous, distortion of a powerful biblical truth propagated in most Christian circles: the idea that the Body of Christ should embrace complacency because "the battle belongs to the Lord." This notion, often spread by well-meaning songwriters and leaders of religious institutions, can unfortunately lead believers to believe they have zero dominion, power, and authority. This is precisely what the enemy desires – for us to believe this lie so he can prance onto the battlefield with pride and joy, unhindered.

Let's unpack this crucial truth, not by dismissing "the battle belongs to the Lord," but by understanding it within the full context and counsel of God's Word, especially through the lens of the fully accomplished work of Christ.

Fullness of Christ as the day breaks trough

Growing into the Fullness of Christ

The Christian journey, for many, often feels like a relentless striving towards an elusive ideal. We hear calls to spiritual maturity, to be "more like Jesus," and sometimes, these calls can subtly morph into a burdensome checklist of performance. WWJD. Yet, tucked away in the New Testament in clear sight, is a profound declaration of our destiny, particularly in Ephesians 4:13 (NKJV): "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

From a grace perspective, this isn't a command to labour tirelessly to achieve something we lack. Instead, it's a glorious invitation to manifest the divine reality that is already complete within us through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This verse, when seen through the lens of God's lavish grace and its surrounding context, reveals spiritual growth not as a demanding climb, but as a beautiful, effortless unfolding of Christ's life within the united Body of Christ.

Teacher - YAH-rah and bridling - Revisited

Unbridled horses are just strong, elegant, and beautiful animals that serve no purpose except to satisfy their own needs. Yet, once bridled, they can fulfill a multitude of useful purposes with all their inherent power and might.

It’s the same with us. If we are not taught (by the Holy Spirit), we are without understanding, like a horse or a mule running wild and without purpose.

The question is: How do we bridle ourselves?

Two Minds, One King

Two Minds, One King: Overcoming Double-Mindedness in the Fullness of Grace

Have you ever found yourself in a state of internal tug-of-war? One moment, you're confidently declaring God's promises and appropriating your inherited dominion in Christ, the next, a whisper of doubt or fear creeps in. One day, you're walking in victory, the next, old habits or worries resurface. This isn't just common; it’s what the Bible calls double-mindedness. In the world of Psychology, this inner turmoil is known as cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance is the mental distress or psychological angst someone feels when battling contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values.

When Jesus marvelled

The Bible records two distinct occasions when Jesus marvelled (θαυμάζω, thaumazō, meaning to wonder, to be amazed, to be astonished). These two instances stand in stark contrast, revealing what truly caught the attention of the Son of God.

To understand our own positions, it may be a good idea to take note of this.

The Baptism Controversy

Baptism: A Journey, A Controversy Resolved

Within the vast tapestry of Christian faith, few practices evoke as much discussion and varied interpretation as baptism. From the earliest days of the so-called church to our modern era, believers have grappled with its meaning, its mode, and its proper recipients. At its heart, however, all forms of Christian baptism should point to a foundational truth: the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This post aims to explore the origins and practices of both infant and adult baptism, comparing them through the lens of biblical covenants and, most importantly, the finished work of Christ, while investigating the diverse theological understandings that underpinned religious doctrine and tradition.

Before we go into all of this, I thought it well to provide some wider perspective from an anthropological point of view.

You must be kidding

I love how Jesus just cuts to the point.

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them (Matthew 18:1-2).

Just that?