Confessions 7/16/26

Main message: People resist the gospel of grace for several predictable spiritual and psychological reasons, but true grace—received by faith and applied by the Holy Spirit—replaces law-based performance with a new identity in Christ that changes desires and power to live rightly. The preacher urges staying faithful to grace despite opposition because it is life-changing.

Key points:

• Religious tradition and comfort in the law condition people to seek righteousness by works instead of by faith in Christ.
• Pride and self-righteousness make people unwilling to accept righteousness as a pure gift (no grounds for boasting).
• Leaders and institutions fear losing control because grace places salvation and righteousness fully in Christ, not human performance.
• The law can blind and harden hearts (a veil), preventing people from seeing the gospel of grace.
• Fear of persecution and rejection discourages ministers from preaching grace; freedom from approval addiction is necessary to stay faithful.
• The natural (unrenewed) mind resists grace because it seems illogical; the Holy Spirit opens eyes to grace and produces inward change.

Scriptures mentioned: Psalm 91, John 1, Mark 7:9, Romans 10:3, Ephesians 2:8–9, Philippians 3:9, Galatians 2:21, 2 Corinthians 3:14–15, Galatians 5:11, Galatians 1, 1 Corinthians 2:14