The gospel isn't God's program for polishing up the old life. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has begun something new. The Holy Spirit is already bringing that new creation to life among people who belong to Christ. And that new creation becomes visible when a church lives differently.   Read More

God’s grace comes first. The Spirit is already at work. Christ has already set us free. And because grace is at work, we can respond. We can surrender old desires. We can practice obedience. We can choose reconciliation over rivalry, service over selfish ambition, gentleness over anger, and love over the need to prove ourselves. Over time, what began as obedience becomes increasingly characteristic of who we are. That is sanctification.   Read More

Grace does more than change our status before God. Grace begins changing who we are. The Spirit who assures us that we are God’s children is also at work shaping us into the likeness of the Son.   Read More

Everything has been moving toward Christ. That's why Paul’s warning is so strong. Going backward to the law as the basis of belonging would not be spiritual progress. It would mean treating something temporary as though it were the destination.   Read More

It is possible to believe the gospel correctly and still live in ways that contradict it. We may confess that salvation is by grace while quietly deciding who belongs most comfortably among us. We may say that every believer is part of the Body of Christ while gravitating only toward people who look, think, speak, worship, vote, work, or live like we do. We can proclaim an open door while maintaining invisible boundaries inside the room.   Read More

As we begin Galatians, Paul gives us something worth holding onto through the entire letter: Don't add to the gospel. Don't subtract from the gospel. And don't confuse the fruit of grace with the price of grace.  Read More