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Abstract

one help other folks manage their lives. They want to see others living life in the way they think it should be lived, by their standards, rules, and guidelines. If they have low self-esteem, they may try to control others to a degree so they feel more significant and important — too often true of pastors trying to grow a larger church.</p><h2 id="b41e">Gospel Thinkers</h2><p id="27b9">don’t want any responsibility for managing someone else’s life. They will give guidance if they are asked to do so, but they must be asked. This is because they have their hands full just trying to manage their own lives by becoming better.</p><p id="7f67">They view their job as being one of modeling a true believer’s life: fathering and leading others into the full realization of all the dimensions of God’s Kingdom on earth. They know their main job is what Jesus says it is: “This is the work of God: that you believe on him whom he has sent” (John 6:29).</p><h2 id="fa0a">Religious, Legal Thinkers</h2><p id="228f">look at God’s grace and say, ‘This is the power of God to help me live the way that I know I should live. It will help me be a success at being more like God, living in accordance with his law and ways, and being conformed to his character.’ Grace is his power in me to keep his law.</p><h2 id="7b7a">Gospel Thinkers</h2><p id="a3d9">look at God’s grace and say, ‘Wow, Paul says that it’s all by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9). It is like God transformed me from be

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ing a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. I must totally depend on God’s grace or I’ll fall flat on my face.</p><p id="310c">It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives through me (Galatians 2:20). I am dead, and my life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). This is what keeps me more conformed to God’s ways, not just me in my own power. Thanks for the help, God!</p><h2 id="6670">Religious, Legal Thinkers</h2><p id="e213">look at the teachings of Jesus and are very confused and even convicted. How can he talk about his Father’s love, grace, peace, and joy on one hand — and in the next breath he talks about cutting off your hand or plucking out your eye if you do wrong?</p><p id="0248">How can he talk about being perfect as God is perfect? He even says if you get angry with someone it’s like murdering them. A few things Jesus says just don’t seem to make sense to our human, religiously-focused minds.</p><h2 id="2866">Gospel Thinkers</h2><p id="088d">know Jesus came to do two different things: (1) fulfill the law of the Old Covenant (Matt 7:18) and (2) introduce and establish his gospel of the New Covenant in his blood (Mark 1:15). Paul says Jesus was a preacher of the LAW — but for the TRUTH of God, which means the gospel (Romans 15:8).</p><p id="7bf8">It’s like he wore two ‘hats’ (figuratively speaking) — a white hat preaching the gospel, a black hat preaching the law. They know we must understand this two-fold ministry of Jesus, or remain very confused.</p></article></body>

Are You a Legal Thinker, or a Gospel Thinker? (Inning 2, April 30, 2023)

We Lawyers Are Legal Thinkers. Isn’t This How God Thinks Too? It Took Me Over Five Long Years to Discover God’s Gospel Truth.

Religious, Legal Thinkers

see Second Timothy 2:15: “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not be ashamed.” They say, ‘I must study the Bible so God will approve of me, favor me, bless me, and answer my prayers the way I want.

I must assume the responsibility to get what I need from God, so I’ll work hard to do what this verse says.

Gospel Thinkers

see things very differently. They see the same passage and say, “I want to study the Bible to show myself I’m already approved by God due to the cross of Jesus. I am not ashamed due to my faith in Christ’s finished work for me, and what he is doing in me and through me.”

Paul says in Philippians 1:6: “Be confident of this very thing, that he (God) who began a good work in you will continue to perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.” We are told God uses his gospel to infuse himself and his power into us to accomplish good things in us.

Legal Thinkers

see their job as being one help other folks manage their lives. They want to see others living life in the way they think it should be lived, by their standards, rules, and guidelines. If they have low self-esteem, they may try to control others to a degree so they feel more significant and important — too often true of pastors trying to grow a larger church.

Gospel Thinkers

don’t want any responsibility for managing someone else’s life. They will give guidance if they are asked to do so, but they must be asked. This is because they have their hands full just trying to manage their own lives by becoming better.

They view their job as being one of modeling a true believer’s life: fathering and leading others into the full realization of all the dimensions of God’s Kingdom on earth. They know their main job is what Jesus says it is: “This is the work of God: that you believe on him whom he has sent” (John 6:29).

Religious, Legal Thinkers

look at God’s grace and say, ‘This is the power of God to help me live the way that I know I should live. It will help me be a success at being more like God, living in accordance with his law and ways, and being conformed to his character.’ Grace is his power in me to keep his law.

Gospel Thinkers

look at God’s grace and say, ‘Wow, Paul says that it’s all by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9). It is like God transformed me from being a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. I must totally depend on God’s grace or I’ll fall flat on my face.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives through me (Galatians 2:20). I am dead, and my life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). This is what keeps me more conformed to God’s ways, not just me in my own power. Thanks for the help, God!

Religious, Legal Thinkers

look at the teachings of Jesus and are very confused and even convicted. How can he talk about his Father’s love, grace, peace, and joy on one hand — and in the next breath he talks about cutting off your hand or plucking out your eye if you do wrong?

How can he talk about being perfect as God is perfect? He even says if you get angry with someone it’s like murdering them. A few things Jesus says just don’t seem to make sense to our human, religiously-focused minds.

Gospel Thinkers

know Jesus came to do two different things: (1) fulfill the law of the Old Covenant (Matt 7:18) and (2) introduce and establish his gospel of the New Covenant in his blood (Mark 1:15). Paul says Jesus was a preacher of the LAW — but for the TRUTH of God, which means the gospel (Romans 15:8).

It’s like he wore two ‘hats’ (figuratively speaking) — a white hat preaching the gospel, a black hat preaching the law. They know we must understand this two-fold ministry of Jesus, or remain very confused.