The Grace Message with Dr. Andrew Farley

What's the difference between faith and belief? Can we grow or mature in faith? How? I've learned about grace recently and have felt guilty looking outside my denomination. My kids are going to notice something different in me. Should I be honest and straightforward with them?

My Sunday school teacher disagreed with me about forgiveness and reported me to the pastor. Then he addressed it in his sermon in front of everyone! We're studying 1 John in our men's group, but most of the questions are about self-examination and self-improvement. Can you make sense of that? I'm a newer Christian, and I believe we live under grace. What should I expect the fruit-bearing to look like in my life?

I've been married for 13 years, but in many ways I've been hiding. I've been afraid to be myself. Not anymore! Are we saved by surrendering everything? What about taking up your cross daily and dying to self?

Why don't most Christians use the Hebrew names for God and Jesus? I like that you don't try to fit into a certain theological box! What is the tribulation and how long does it last? What is the gift of tongues? I was told to practice it, and now my family is upset because I don't.

What If You're Not the Problem?
What if you're not your own worst enemy? In this message, Andrew explores your spiritual anatomy: spirit, soul, and body. Discover why your old self wasn't improved but replaced, why sinful thoughts and feelings don't define you, and how your soul can reflect the truth already planted within you. You are one spirit with the Lord, fully embraced by God, and righteous even while your mind is being renewed. You're not the problem.
Discussion Questions:
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and 1 Corinthians 6:17. What do these verses tell us about the way God sees your whole person (spirit, soul, and body) and why is it important to stop viewing any part of yourself as inherently bad?
Read Romans 8:16 and 1 Corinthians 2:11. What makes your spirit different from your soul and body, and how can knowing that your spirit is joined to the Lord give you confidence about your true identity?
Read Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:7, and James 1:21. If your soul includes your mind, choices, and emotions, what do these passages show about how the soul learns, grows, and is renewed without becoming the basis of your righteousness or identity?
Read Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 11:29, and Hebrews 6:19. What do these passages reveal about the soul, and how can they help us reject the idea that the soul itself is evil rather than something God loves, preserves, and ministers to?
Read Romans 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 6:19–20. How does God describe your physical body, and how would believing that your body is holy, acceptable, and a dwelling place of God change the way you think about yourself physically?
Read Romans 6:12–13 and 1 Corinthians 6:15. If your body belongs to Christ and can be presented as an instrument of righteousness, what does that tell us about the difference between your body itself and the sin that sometimes tries to operate through it?
Read 1 Peter 2:11, Romans 6:12–13, and Romans 8:9. Where does Scripture locate the real conflict in the Christian life, and how does it help to recognize that your enemies are sin, fleshly influences, the world, and the devil (not your spirit, your soul, or your body)?