freedom

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What Does It Mean to be Free from Sin?

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What Does It Mean to be Free from Sin?

With freedom from sin comes personal responsibility. Believers have the personal ability to respond to God’s grace rather than continue to live in sin. Response ability.

Under the New Covenant, we are free from sin. We are free from sin in that God is no longer holding our sins against us.

Paul explains in Romans 6 that freedom from sin doesn’t give one an excuse to continue in sin; it’s just the opposite. It’s the opposite because we are under grace.

If you have a traditional understanding of grace, you will not grasp the power of “under grace.” Grace is traditionally defined as unmerited favor. It’s equated to mercy. The sentiment is that God shows you grace even though you deserve punishment. That’s incorrect. Grace and mercy are different. Mercy is undeserved forgiveness, but grace is inner strength.

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Toxic Religion is Destroyed through Inner Balance

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Toxic Religion is Destroyed through Inner Balance

Lack is at the root of addiction. Feeling like something is missing and trying to fill that gap with toxic substances or behaviors is the engine for addiction. We see that same cycle in religion. Religion is the king of causing you to feel like something is missing. Under religion you’re never good enough and you can never do enough to keep God happy. Most people never say it this clearly but they believe that God’s happiness is based on your behavior. This lie is the root or toxic religion.

Toxic religion is the mindset that acceptance or rejection with God is based on how good or bad you are. Religious folks would never say they’re good because of their behavior, but they might say they’re bad or unrighteous because of sinful behavior. That’s just as self-righteous and toxic as thinking your righteous because you kept the commandments.

The solution to breaking the addiction to toxic religion is to find a place of inner balance that’s rooted in Christ’s finished work. Your true, spiritual, eternal identity is complete already. Your standing before God doesn’t change. Only toxic religion believes otherwise, and if you believe God changes his mind about you based on your performance, it’s tine to detox from religion.

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