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Changing Lives Ministry
Daily Devotional
"grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity."
2 Peter 3:18

Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
05/24/2014, by John Kincaid


Lesson 246: 2 Errors: License & Legalism, Pt. 2

1 Pet.2:12 NIV Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds & glorify God on the day he visits us.
 
The dilemma is whether personal conduct should have the same emphasis as God’s grace.

Strong teaching on conduct can lead people to believe that their conduct must rise to a certain level before they will be acceptable to God. Over the years, “codes of conduct” have been developed by some conservative churches to distinguish “serious” Christians from others.
 
Those who emphasize grace see these codes as harmful legalism. But the coin has 2 sides.

We must not neglect Biblical teaching on license. Christians are tempted to sin when they are taught that rules don’t matter, and that God loves you no matter how you behave.
 
Legalism makes Christians think that God accepts them based on their behavior. Licentiousness makes them think that God doesn't care about their behavior. Both are wrong; both errors have terrible consequences.

True Biblical grace always bears fruit.

 

About This Series

The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21

- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work
.

 

Changing Lives Ministries
Asheville, NC 28803

ministrychanginglives@gmail.com

Phone: (828) 318-9825
 

For Further Reading

These authors and books were
helpful in preparing this series:

Bryan Chapell:
   "Holiness by Grace"
Kris Lundgaard:
   "The Enemy Within"
Jerry Bridges:
   "The Pursuit of Holiness",
   "The Practice of Godliness",
   "Respectable Sins",
   "Trusting God",
   "The Discipline of Grace",
   "Transforming Grace"
Warren Wiersbe:
   "Bible Exposition Commentary"
A.W. Tozer:
   "The Pursuit of God", 
   "The Knowledge of the Holy"
J.I. Packer:
   "Rediscovering Holiness"
Russell D. Moore:
   "Tempted and Tried"
Paul Tripp: "Instruments
   in the Redeemer's Hands"
Timothy Lane & Paul Tripp:
   "How People Change"

Copyright © 2014 Peace In Believing Ministries, All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from: The Holy Bible: English
Standard Version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

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